THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 


Dr.   Waldemar  Westergaard 


W 


THE 

Bhagavad  Gita 

OR 

The  Message  of  the  Master 


Compiled  and  adapted  from  numerous 

old  and  new  translations  of  the 

Original  Sanscrit  Text 

By  YOGI  RAMACHARAKA 


REVISED  EDITION 


THE  YOGI  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

CHICAGO,  ILL.,  U.  S.  A. 


Sold  by 
The  Brotherhood  of  Light 
Box  1525        Los  Angeles 

Copyright  190T 

by 

THE  YOGI  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

Chicago 

All  Rights  Reserved 


Copyright  1011 

by 

THE  YOGI  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY 

Chicago 


MIN. 
TV 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction 5 

The  Scene;  Theme;  and  Character  11 

PART  I.  The  Gloom  of  Arjuna 17 

PART  II.  The  Inner  Doctrine 25 

PART  III.  The  Secret  of  Work 43 

PART  IV.  Spiritual  Knowledge 53 

PART  V.  Renunciation  62 

PART  VI.  Self   Mastery 70 

PART  VII.         Spiritual  Discernment 81 

PART  VIII.  The  Mystery   of  Omnipresence ...   88 

PART  IX.  The  Kingly  Knowledge 94 

PART  X.  Universal  Perfection 102 

TART  XI.  The  Universal  Manifestation 110 

PART  XII.         The  Yoga  of  Devotion 123 

PART  XIII.       The  Knower  and  the  Known 128 

PART  XIV.        The  Three  Gunas  or  Qualities 137 

PART  XV.  Consciousness  of  the  Supreme ....  144 

PART  XVI.       The  Good  and  Evil  Natures 149 

PART  XVII.      The  Threefold  Faith 157 

PART  XVIII.    Renunciation  and  Freedom 164 

537245 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  "Bhagavad  Gita"  sometimes  called 
''The  Lord's  Lay;'  or  the  "Message  of  the 
Master,"  is  an  episode  of  the  great  Hindu 
epic,  the  Mahabharata,  in  the  Sixth  (or 
"Bhishma")  Parva.  It  enjoys  the  highest 
esteem  among  the  Hindu  people,  and  is  con- 
stantly quoted  there  as  a  great  authority 
regarding  doctrine.  Its  philosophy  embodies 
the  prevailing  Hindu  beliefs,  as  expounded 
by  the  Brahmans,  and  in  its  teachings  it 
subtly  blends  into  a  harmonious  whole  the 
varying  points  of  doctrine  of  Patanjali,  Kapila 
and  of  the  Vedas.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
been  written  by  Vyasa  whose  personality  is 
veiled  in  doubt  for  of  the  time  of  his  exist- 
ence in  the  world  no  record  seems  to  have 
been  kept. 

To  the  reader  who  finds  in  this  marvelous 
dialogue  merely  the  record  of  a  literal  con- 
versation dressed  up  in  fancy  by  the  Oriental 
imagination,  the  real  beauty  and  purpose  of 
the  teaching  is  lost.  But  to  him  who  is  able 
5 


6  INTRODUCTION 

to  pierce  the  outer  covering,  which  surrounds 
all  of  the  great  Oriental  writings,  and  find 
beyond  that  the  esoteric  teachings,  this  poem 
is  one  of  the  grandest  that  has  ever  been 
given  the  race.  One  must  needs  read  behind 
the  covering — and  between  the  lines,  in  order 
to  understand  the  Bhagavad  Gita.  No  at- 
tempt has  been  made  by  the  compiler  of  this 
publication  to  interpret  the  inner  teachings  of 
the  Gita.  It  has,  as  the  Hindu  teachers  in- 
struct their  pupils,  seven  texts,  each  super- 
imposed upon  the  other,  so  that  each  man 
may  read  his  own  lesson  from  it,  according  to 
his  plane  of  unfoldment.  Each  will  get  from 
it  that  which  is  fitted  to  his  stage  of  unfold- 
ment. And  each  reading  will  bring  to  light 
new  beauties,  for  the  mind  of  the  reader  will 
grow  with  each  perusal  and  soon  be  prepared 
for  the  understanding  of  higher  phases  of 
thought. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  English 
translations  of  the  Gita,  from  the  first  effort 
of  Charles  Wilkins,  in  India,  in  1785,  up  to 
the  present  time.  Some  are  very  good,  others 
indifferent,  and  others  actually  misleading 
and  causing  confusion.     Some  of  these  trans- 


INTRODUCTION  7 

lations  have  evidently  been  made  by  persons 
inclining  to  certain  schools  of  philosophy; 
and  the  meaning,  as  colored  by  their  own 
philosophical  glasses,  while  most  satisfactory 
to  them  and  their  followers,  is  distracting  to 
those  outside  the  pale,  who  have  had  the  op- 
portunity of  comparing  the  various  editions. 

This  particular  edition,  issued  by  us,  is  not 
a  new  translation,  but  rather  a  compilation 
from  the  best  of  the  various  good  translations 
of  Hindu  and  English  translators,  some  of 
which  are  now  out  of  print,  or  inaccessible  to 
the  general  public.  The  compiler  has  endeav- 
ored to  give  the  spirit  of  the  teachings,  in  a 
plain,  practical,  understandable  form,  adapted 
to  the  requirements  and  needs  of  the  English 
speaking  reader,  although  such  a  presentation 
has  often  necessitated  the  sacrifice  of  any  at- 
tempt at  literary  merit.  In  fact  this  book 
makes  no  claim  whatsoever  to  literary  style. 
It  merely  seeks  to  carry  the  Message  con- 
tained within  its  pages,  in  plain  words  and 
simple  form,  to  those  who  are  ready  for  it. 

The  compiler  has  purposely  omitted  many 
Sanscrit  terms  which  have  proved  to  be  con-, 
fusing   to   the    English    reader,    notably    the 


8  INTRODUCTION 

many  titles  and  names  bestowed  upon  both 
Krishna,  and  Arjuna,  in  the  original.  In 
some  editions  the  English  reader  is  confused 
by  these,  and  has  often  been  led  to  imagine 
that  there  were  several  persons  engaged  in 
conversation  instead  of  but  two  principal 
characters.  We  trust  that  we  have  simplified 
the  text,  and  that  those  who  read  it  will  un- 
derstand the  reason  for  the  plain,  simple,  and 
unpolished  style  adopted. 

To  those  who,  after  studying  this  little 
book,  are  desirous  of  further  acquainting 
themselves  with  the  subject — and  who  seek 
the  Inner  Doctrine  underlying  the  various 
forms  of  the  Hindu  Philosophy,  we  would 
recommend  the  Lessons  in  "Guard  Yoga," 
issued  by  our  house.  These  Lessons  contain, 
in  the  plainest  form  and  style,  the  higher 
teachings  of  the  Yogi  Philosophy — the  Inner 
Doctrines. 

We  further  recommend  to  the  readers  of 
this  work  a  little  book,  also  issued  by  us,  bear- 
ing the  title  of  "The  Spirit  of  the  Upani- 
shads,"  which  contains  a  collection  of  texts, 
quotations  and  selections  from  the  great  sa- 
cred books  of   India.     The  texts,  etc.,  bear 


INTRODUCTION  9 

directly  upon  the  subjects  touched  upon  in  the 
Bhagavad  Gita,  and  will  aid  the  student  in 
obtaining  a  fuller  conception  of  the  underly- 
ing principles  of  the  teachings. 

We  strongly  advise  that  those  who  intend 
to  read  this  book,  should  first  read  the  little 
notice,  which  follows  this  formal  prefatory 
introduction.  By  so  doing,  the  reader  will 
become  acquainted  with  certain  circumstances 
concerning  the  characters,  scene,  and  theme 
of  the  story,  which  will  make  the  reading  of 
the  text  far  more  pleasing  and  instructive. 

We  trust  that  this  little  book  may  fulfill  its 
mission  in  the  carrying  abroad  the  "Message 
of  the  Master." 

THE  YOGI  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY. 

Chicago,  III. 


THE  SCENE;  THEME;  AND 
CHARACTERS. 

The  scene  of  the  action,  or  story,  is  laid  in 
the  low,  level  land  in  India,  between  the 
Jumna  and  the  Sarsooti  rivers — now  known 
as  Kurnul  and  Jheed — the  land  being  known 
in  the  story  as  "the  plain  of  the  Kurus."  The 
word  "Kuru"  was  the  name  of  the  common 
ancestor  of  the  contending  factions  in  the 
battle — the  theme  of  the  story — the  opposing 
factions  being  known,  respectively,  as  the 
"Kurus"  and  the  "Pandus"  as  you  will  notice 
a  little  farther  on. 

The  theme  of  the  great  Hindu  epic,  the 
Mahabharata,  of  which  the  Bhagavad  Gita  is 
an  episode,  is  the  great  war  which  was  car- 
ried on  between  two  factions,  or  parties,  of  a 
certain  large  tribe,  or  family,  the  descendants 
of  the  common  ancestor  Kuru.  The  bone  of 
contention  between  the  opposing  factions  was 
the  sovereignty  of  Hastinapura,  which  some 
authorities  suppose  to  be  identical  with  mod- 
ern Delhi  The  elder  branch,  faction,  or 
11 


12  THE  BHAGAVAD   GITA 

party,  bore  the  general  name  of  the  whole 
people — Kurus:  the  younger  branch  bearing 
the  name  of  Pandits,  the  term  being  derived 
from  the  name  of  Pandu,  the  father  of  the 
five  chiefs  commanding  the  army  of  their 
faction  or  branch. 

The  whole  Kuru  people  were  an  old  family, 
many  generations  having  passed  between  the 
time  of  Kuru,  its  founder,  and  the  time  of  the 
battle  between  the  two  branches.  It  is  stated 
that  the  family,  or  people,  originally  inhab- 
ited a  region  beyond  the  Himalayas,  and 
afterward  emigrated  into  the  northwest  of 
the  peninsula,  and  there  founded  the  nucleus 
of  a  race  who  called  themselves  the  Arya,  or 
exalted,  the  term  being  intended  to  distin- 
guish them  from  the  lower  tribes  whom  they 
conquered,  and  whose  territory  they  wrested 
from  them  and  occupied. 

The  history  of  the  people  immediately  pre- 
ceding the  great  war,  and  from  the  occur- 
rences of  which  the  war  itself  arose,  is  as 
follows : 

At  the  capital  of  the  country,  a  city  called 
Hastinapura  (supposed  to  be  modern  Delhi), 
reigned  the  king  Vichitravirya.     He  married 


THE  SCENE,  THEME  AND  CHARACTERS      13 

(wo  sisters,  but  he  died  shortly  after  the  dual- 
marriage,  leaving  no  children.  Following  the 
custom  of  the  ancient  Oriental  peoples,  and 
moved  by  love  and  respect  for  his  deceased 
brother,  his  half-brother,  the  Vyasa,  married 
the  widows,  and  begat  two  sons  named 
Dhritarashtra  and  Pandu.  The  eldest  son, 
Dhritarashtra,  had  one  hundred  sons,  the 
eldest  being  named  Duryodhana.  The 
younger  brother,  Pandu,  had  five  sons,  all 
great  warriors,  and  known  as  the  "five  Pandu 
princes."  Dhritarashtra  became  blind,  and, 
although  remaining  nominally  king,  his  real 
power  passed  to  his  eldest  son  Duryodhana, 
who  influenced  his  father  and  caused  him  to 
banish  from  the  land  his  cousins,  the  five 
Pandu  princes. 

After  many  vicissitudes,  travels,  and  hard- 
ships, these  princes  returned  to  their  native 
land,  surrounded  by  their  friends  and  sym- 
pathizers, and  reinforced  by  warriors  fur- 
nished by  neighboring  friendly  kings,  the 
whole  forming  a  mighty  army.  They 
marched  on  to  the  plain  of  the  Kurus,  and  be- 
gan a  campaign  against  the  older  branch  of 
the   family,   the  partisans   and   followers  of 


14  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

Dhritarashtra,  who  gathered  under  the  lead- 
ership of  the  eldest  son  of  the  latter,  named 
Duryodhana,  who  was  in  command  by  reason 
of  his  father's  blindness;  and  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  the  family,  "the  Kurus"  the 
elder  branch  began  a  determined  resistance  to 
the  invasion  or  attack  of  the  younger  branch, 
the  Pandus. 

This  brings  us  to  the  scene  and  time  of  the 
battle.  The  Kuru  faction  led  by  Duryodhana 
(acting  for  his  blind  father,  Dhritarashtra) 
was  arrayed  on  one  side;  and  on  the  other 
side  was  the  hosts  of  the  Pandus,  led  by  the 
five  Pandu  princes.  The  active  command  of 
the  Kuru  army  was  vested  in  Bhishma,  the 
oldest  war-chief  of  his  faction;  the  Pandu 
army  being  led  by  Bhima,  a  renowned  war- 
rior. Arjuna,  one  of  the  five  Pandu  princes, 
and  one  of  the  leading  characters  in  the  story, 
was  present  at  the  battle  with  his  brothers, 
and  was  accompanied  in  his  war  chariot  by 
the  human  incarnation  of  THE  SUPREME 
SPIRIT — Krishna,  the  latter  having  become 
the  friend  and  companion  of  Arjuna  as  a 
reward  for  the  fortitude  with  which  the  latter 
had  borne  his  persecutions,  and  as  a  recogni- 


THE  SCENE,  THEME  AND  CHARACTERS      15 

tion  for  the  nobility  of  character  displayed  by 
him. 

The  battle  was  opened  by  Bhishma,  the 
Kuru  chieftain,  blowing  his  great  war-shell 
or  conch,  to  the  sound  of  which  his  followers 
joined  with  the  blare  of  their  battle  shells  and 
horns.  Arjuna,  and  the  Pandu  host  answer 
the  challenge  with  mighty  blasts.  The  fight 
then  begins  with  great  flights  of  arrows,  in 
which  both  sides  exert  themselves  to  the  ut- 
most. Arjuna,  at  the  beginning  of  the  battle, 
asks  Krishna  to  drive  his  chariot  to  a  posi- 
tion where  he  may  witness  the  two  contend- 
ing parties.  From  the  desired  position  Ar- 
juna surveys  the  two  battle  lines,  and  is 
overcome  with  horror  at  the  sight  of  blood 
relatives  and  friends  opposing  each  other  in 
the  two  contending  armies.  He  sees  dear 
ones  on  both  sides,  seeking  each  other's  blood. 
He  is  overcome  with  the  thought  of  the  hor- 
ror of  the  fratricidal  war,  and,  throwing  down 
his  weapons,  he  declares  that  he  would  rather 
die  without  defending  himself,  than  be  the 
cause  of  the  death  of  his  kinsmen  on  the  other 
side.  Krishna  replies  with  subtle  philosoph- 
ical discourse,  which  forms  the  greater  part 


16  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

of  the  episode  of  the  epic,  called  the  Bhagavad 
Git  a,  the  poem  or  story  which  is  offered  to 
your  consideration  in  this  little  book.  Arjuna 
is  made  to  see  the  weakness  of  his  position, 
judged  from  the  absolute  point-of-view,  and 
he  consents  to  play  his  part  in  the  drama. 
The  battle  finally  results  in  the  overthrow  of 
the  Kurus,  or -elder  branch,  and  the  triumph 
of  the  Pandus,  or  younger  branch,  the  latter 
being  Arjuna's  party. 

The  scene  opens  at  a  place  removed  from 
the  battle  field,  where  the  old  blind  king  Dhri- 
tarashtra  inquires  of  the  faithful  Sanjaya,  of 
the  events  transpiring  at  the  front.  Sanjaya 
replies,  giving  the  news  "of  the  day,  his  story 
comprising  the  poem. 

The  battle,  of  course,  serves  but  as  a  set- 
ting for  the  discourse  of  Krishna  to  Arjuna, 
at  least  so  far  as  this  poem  is  concerned 


The  Bhagavad  Gita 


PART  I. 

THE  GLOOM  OF  ARJUNA. 

Spoke  Dhritarashtra,  King  of  the  Kurus, 
to  Sanjaya,  the  faithful,  saying  : 

"Tell  me,  O  Sanjaya,  of  my  people  and  the 
Pandus,  assembled  in  battle  array  on  the  plain 
of  the  Kurus  I    What  have  they  been  doing?" 

Sanjaya:  "Thy  son  Duryodhana,  com- 
mander of  thy  hosts  of  battle,  when  he  beheld 
the  host  of  the  Pandus,  arrayed  for  strife  and 
combat,  approached  his  preceptor,  Drona,  the 
son  of  Bharadvaja,  saying : 

"Behold,  O  Master,  the  mighty  host  of  the 
sons  of  Pandu,  comprising  the  vast  array  of 
experienced  and  bold  fighting-men,  com- 
manded by  thy  former  pupil,  the  wily  and 
resourceful  son  of  Drupada. 

"Behold  how,  gathered  together  in  the  op- 
posing ranks  are  mighty  warriors  in  their 
17 


18  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

chariots  of  battle.  Their  names  are  synonyms 
for  valor,  strength  and  cunning. 

"  'And  on  our  own  side,  gathered  together, 
under  my  command,  are  the  greatest  warriors 
of  our  people,  heroes,  valiant  and  experienced, 
each  well  armed  with  his  favorite  weapons, 
and  most  ready  to  use  them;  and  all  devoted 
to  me  and  my  cause  and  willing  and  anxious 
to  risk  and  renounce  their  lives  for  my  sake. 

"  'But,  alas,  O  Master,  this  army  of  ours, 
although  most  valiant  and  though  commanded 
by  Bhishma,  seems  unto  me  too  insufficient 
and  weak,  while  the  enemy,  commanded  by 
Bhima,  and  confronting  us  in  threatening 
array,  seems  more  strong  and  sufficient. 
Therefore,  let  all  the  captains  of  my  host  pre- 
pare to  stand  by  Bhishma,  to  support  and 
guard  him  well.' 

"Then  Bhishma,  the  ancient  chief  of  the 
Kurus,  blew  his  great  battle-shell,  sounding  it 
like  unto  the  roar  of  the  lion,  to  awaken  the 
spirits  and  courage  of  the  Kurus.  And  an- 
swering its  great  roar,  there  sounded  at  once 
innumerable  other  shells  and  horns,  drums 
and  tabors ;  and  other  instruments  of  warlike 
music,  so  that  the  sound  was  tumultuous  and 


THE   GLOOM    OF   ARJUNA  19 

stirred  the  hearts  of  the  Kurus  to  valiant 
deeds  and  high  resolves. 

"Then,  in  brave  response  and  mighty  defi- 
ance, sounded  forth  the  instruments  of  the 
hosts  of  the  Pandas. 

"Standing  in  their  great  war-chariots, 
trimmed  with  gold  and  precious  stones,  and 
drawn  by  milk-white  steeds,  Krishna,  the  in- 
carnation of  God,  and  Arjuna,  the  son  of 
Pandu,  sounded  their  war  shells  until  the  air 
quivered  in  vibration.  And  all  the  rest  of  the 
mighty  host  of  the  Pandus  joined  in  the  de- 
fiance, and  the  mightiest  warriors  of  the 
throng  sounded  their  instruments  again  and 
again,  until  the  sound  was  as  the  sound  of  the 
violent  thunder,  and  earth's  surface  answered 
in  responsive  rhythm.  And  the  hosts  of  the 
Kurus  were  affrighted  and  dismayed. 

"Then  Arjuna,  perceiving  that  the  hosts  of 
Kuru  stood  ready  to  begin  the  fight,  and  see- 
ing that  even  then  the  arrows  were  beginning 
to  wing  their  flight  through  the  air,  raising 
his  bow,  spake  thus  to  Krishna,  the  God,  who 
stood  beside  him  in  the  chariot :" 

"O  Krishna,  drive  thou,  I  pray  thee,  my 
chariot  so  that  it  stand  between  the  two  op- 


20  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

posing  armies,  that  I  may  gaze  upon  the  men 
of  the  Kuru  hosts  that  stand  ready  to  begin 
this  bloody  fight,  and  with  whom  I  must  com- 
bat, battle,  and  strive  in  this  fray.  Let  me 
look  upon  mine  enemies,  the  followers  of  the 
evil-minded  and  vindictive  commander  of  the 
Kurus!" 

Then  drove  Krishna  the  chariot  containing 
himself  and  Arjuna,  until  at  last  it  stood  in  a 
space  between  the  two  opposing  hosts.  And 
then  Krishna  bade  Arjuna  look  attentively 
upon  the  hostile  army  of  the  Kurus,  and  then 
upon  the  faces  of  his  friends,  the  host  of  the 
Pandits.  And  Arjuna,  looking,  saw  arrayed 
on  either  side,  grandsires,  uncles,  cousins, 
tutors,  sons  and  brothers.  Gazing  farther  he 
saw,  likewise,  near  relations  and  bosom 
friends.  Loved  ones,  benefactors,  playmates, 
companions,  and  many  others  whose  welfare 
was  dear  to  him,  he  saw  standing  opposed  to 
him,  fretting  for  the  fight.  And  also  standing 
back  of  him,  awaiting  the  word  to  join  him  in 
the  fray,  stood  others  of  like  relationship, 
both  of  blood  and  of  friendship. 

And  Arjuna,  seeing  these  things,  was  over- 
come  with   gloom.     Compassion,   pity,   com- 


THE   GLOOM    OF   ART  UNA  21 

punction,  despondency,  and  sadness  filled  his 
heart,  and,  sighing  deeply,  with  sorrow  perme- 
ating his  tones,  he  spake  thus  to  Krishna, 
who  stood  by  his  side  in  the  chariot : 

"O  Krishna  now  that  I  behold  the  faces 
and  forms  of  my  kindred  and  loved  ones,  thus 
arrayed  against  each  other,  and  chafing  for 
the  fight,  my  heart  faileth  me.  My  legs 
tremble;  mine  arms  refuse  to  do  my  bidding; 
my  face  is  drawn  in  agony ;  my  skin  burns  as 
with  a  fever ;  my  hair  standeth  upon  end ;  my 
brain  reels ;  my  whole  body  is  convulsed  with 
horror;  my  war-bow  slips  from  my  fingers. 

"Evil  omens  fill  the  air,  and  strange  voices 
seem  to  speak  around  me,  so  that  I  am  over- 
come with  confusion  and  indecision.  What 
good  can  come  from  my  killing  these  my  kin- 
dred, and  loved  ones,  and  friends?  I  desire 
not  the  glory  of  victory,  O  Krishna.  Nor  do 
I  long  for  the  kingdoms  or  dominion;  nor  do 
I  seek  for  enjoyments  of  life,  or  pleasure;  nor 
even  life  itself.  These  things  appear  most 
vain  and  undesirable  to  me  when  those  for 
whom  they  were  to  be  coveted  have  aban- 
doned life  and  all  else. 

"Tutors,  sons  and  fathers;  grandsires  and 


22  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

grandsons ;  uncles  and  nephews ;  cousins,  kin- 
dred all ;  and  friends,  comrades  and  com- 
panions, stand  before  me,  inviting  my  arrows. 
Even  though  these  may  desire  to  kill  me ;  nay, 
may  even  actually  slay  me — still  do  I  wish  not 
to  slay  them,  even  though  the  three  great  re- 
gions of  the  universe  be  my  reward,  much  less 
the  petty  thing  we  call  the  earth,  or  the  pettier 
kingdoms  thereof. 

"Were  I  to  kill  my  relatives,  the  sons  of 
Dhritarashtra,  what  happiness  or  pleasure 
could  be  ours,  O  great  one.  Should  we  de- 
stroy them,  remorse  would  be  our  companion 
and  indweller.  Therefore,  it  seems  to  me  as 
a  truth  that  we  should  refrain  from  slaying 
these,  our  kinsmen,  for  how  can  we  be  happy, 
hereafter,  if  we  are  guilty  of  having  de- 
stroyed those  of  our  race. 

"It  is  no  excuse  for  us,  who  see  these  things 
as  we  do,  to  say  that  these  others  have  minds 
so  depraved  and  bloodthirsty  that  they  can 
see  no  evil  in  the  shedding  of  the  blood  of 
their  kinsmen  and  friends.  Can -such  an  ex- 
cuse justify  us,  who  knoweth  better,  in  com- 
mitting a  like  horror? 

"We  have  been  taught  that  in  the  annihila- 


THE  GLOOM    OF  ARJUNA  23 

tion  of  a  family,  the  ancient  virtue  of  the 
family  is  destroyed.  And  in  the  destruction 
of  the  virtue  and  traditions  of  a  people,  vice 
and  impiety  overwhelm  the  whole  race.  Thus 
may  the  women  of  the  family  become  corrupt, 
and  the  purity  of  the  blood  vanish.  This 
adulteration  of  the  blood  prevents  the  per- 
formance of  the  ceremonies  of  the  rites  due 
the  ancestors,  according  to  our  ancient  cus- 
toms, and  the  forefathers,  if  the  teachings  of 
the  people  be  true,  must  sink  into  a  state  of 
misery  and  unhappiness. 

"Thus  by  the  crimes  of  those  who  destroy 
their  own  relations,  sore  contamination  of  the 
family-virtue  and  glory  is  made  possible,  and 
the  forefathers  of  the  race  are  given  great 
mortification,  and  pain  and  degradation,  as 
we  have  been  taught  from  childhood,  as  a 
people,  O  Krishna. 

"O  woe  is  me !  Woe  unto  us  who  are  pre- 
paring to  commit  the  horrible  crime  of  mur- 
dering these,  our  blood-relations  and  kind,  for 
the  bauble  of  dominion — the  lust  of  power ! 

"Rather  would  I  bare  my  breast  to  the 
weapons  of  the  Kurns,  and  let  them  drink 
deep  of  the  blood  of  my  heart — rather  would 


24  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

I  await  their  coming,  unresistingly,  and  un- 
armed meet  their  thrusts — than  commit  this 
foul  crime  against  my  blood-relations. 
Surely,  that  for  me  would  be  far  the  better! 
O  woe  is  me,  and  woe  unto  us  all !" 

And  having  spoken  thus,  Arjuna  sank  back 
upon  the  seat  of  his  chariot,  and  sitting  down, 
he  put  away  from  him  his  bow  and  his  ar- 
rows, and,  placing  his  head  between  his  hands, 
he  gave  away  to  the  gloom,  despondency  and 
grief  that  was  consuming  his  heart. 

THUS  EXDETH  PART  I  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA, 
WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  GLOOM  OF 
ARJUNA." 


PART  II. 

THE  INNER  DOCTRINE. 

Krishna,  the  Blessed  One,  filled  with  love, 
compassion  and  pity  for  Arjuna  who  was  thus 
smitten  with  compunction  and  gloom,  and 
whose  eyes  were  overflowing  with  tears  of 
grief,  spake  unto  him  these  words : 

"Whence  cometh  this  dejection,  O  Arjuna, 
which  hath  overcometh  thee  who  art  standing 
on  the  field  of  battle.  This  folly  and  unmanly 
weakness  is  most  disgraceful,  contrary  to 
thy  duty — such  weakeneth  the  foundation  of 
honor.  Yield  not  thyself  to  this  unmanly 
weakness,  for  it  ill  fitteth  thee  who  hath  been 
called  the  Tormentor  Of  His  Foes.  Shake 
off  this  despicable  fancy,  and  stand  up  bravely 
and  resolutely,  O  Conqueror  of  Foes  I" 

Arjuna  :  "Alas  O  Krishna,  how  can  I  at- 
tack with  the  arrows  of  the  battle,  such 
worthy  and  honorable  men  as  Bhishma  and 
Drona — they  who  are  full  worthy  of  my  rev- 
erence, O  Master — how  shall  I  do  this  wicked 
thing  ? 

25 


26  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

"Better  were  it  for  me  to  eat  even  the  dry 
and  tasteless  crust  of  the  ragged  beggar,  than 
to  be  the  instrument  of  death  to  these  most 
noble  and  worshipful  men,  who  were  my  pre- 
ceptors and  teachers!  Were  I  to  slay  these 
well-wishers  of  mine,  verily  I  should  partake 
of  but  blood-besprinkled  possessions,  wealth 
and  pleasures — a  horrid  feast  to  which  the 
beggar's  crust  would  be  noble  and  most 
worthy. 

"I  cannot  see  whether  it  would  be  better 
for  me  whether  we  be  the  victors  or  the  de- 
feated, for  I  should  not  wish  to  live  after 
having  caused  the  death  of  those  arrayed 
against  us — my  kinsmen  and  friends — the 
sons  and  people  of  Kuril's  king  Dhritarashtra, 
who  now  confront  us  in  angry  battle  array. 
My  compassion  weighs  down  my  heart  even 
unto  faintness,  and  my  mind  reels  confusedly 
before  the  problem  presented  to  it.  What  is 
Right  Action  for  me — what  is  my  Duty?  O 
most  blessed  Krishna,  my  Lord,  decide  these 
weighty  questions  for  me — tell  me  what  is 
Right.  I,  Thy  disciple  and  student,  beg  for 
Thy  instruction  in  this  my  hour  of  dire  need. 

"So   confused   and   dazed   am  I,  that   my 


THE  INNER  DOCTRINE  27 

understanding  is  confounded  by  the  dictates 
of  my  Duty,  and  I  can  discover  nothing  that 
will  give  peace  to  the  fever  of  mind  which 
burneth  within  me,  and  drieth  up  my  facul- 
ties. Even  though  I  should  gain  a  kingdom 
on  earth,  surpassing  all  other  earthly  king- 
doms, even  as  the  sun  surpasseth  the  stars — 
nay,  even  though  I  were  to  gain  dominion 
over  the  Hosts  of  Heaven,  my  grief  would 
not  be  assuaged." 

"Nay,  nay,  I  will  not  fight— I  will  not 
fight." 

And,  saying  these  words  Arjuna  became 
silent.  But  Krishna,  smiling  most  tenderly 
upon  the  despondent  prince,  standing,  cast 
down  in  mind,  in  the  midst  of  the  two  armies, 
spake  unto  him  these  words : 

"Thou  grievest  for  those  who  need  not  thy 
grief,  Arjuna,  yet  thy  words  are  not  those  of 
the  foolish,  but  bear  within  them  the  seeds  of 
wisdom.  Thy  utterances  have  a  wise  sound, 
but  yet  express  only  the  outer  wisdom,  and 
fail  to  show  the  flower  of  the  inner  doctrine 
of  the  wise.  They  are  true,  and  yet  not 
wholly  true — the  half-truth  is  apparent — but 
the  missing  half  is  the  deeper  portion. 


28  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

'The  truly  wise  grieve  neither  for  the  dead, 
nor  yet  for  the  living.  Just  as  the  brave  man 
feareth  neither  Death  nor  Life,  so  doth  the 
wise  man  avoid  grief  over  either,  though  the 
half -wise  grieve  over  either  or  both,  accord- 
ing to  mood  and  circumstance. 

"Know  thou,  O  Prince  of  Pandu,  that  there 
never  was  a  time  when  I,  nor  thou,  nor  any 
of  these  princes  of  earth  was  not;  nor  shall 
there  ever  come  a  time,  hereafter,  when  any 
of  us  shall  cease  to  be. 

"As  the  soul,  wearing  this  material  body, 
experienceth  the  stages  of  infancy,  youth, 
manhood,  and  old  age,  even  so  shall  it,  in  due 
time,  pass  on  to  another  body,  and  in  other 
incarnations  shall  it  again  live,  and  move  and 
play  its  part.  Those  who  have  attained  the 
wisdom  of  the  Inner  Doctrine,  know  these 
things,  and  fail  to  be  moved  by  aught  that 
cometh  to  pass  in  this  world  of  change;  to 
such  Life  and  Death  are  but  words,  and  both 
are  but  surface  aspects  of  the  deeper  Being. 

"The  senses,  through  their  appropriate  fac- 
ulties of  the  mind,  give  thee  reports  of  cold 
and  heat,  pleasure  and  pain.  But  these 
changes  come  and  go;  they  are  shifting,  tran- 


THE   INNER  DOCTRINE  29 

sient  and  inconstant.  Bear  them  with  equa- 
nimity, bravely  and  patiently,  O  Prince. 

"For,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  man 
whom  these  things  have  ceased  to  further 
torment — he  who  stands  steadfast,  undis- 
turbed by  pleasure  and  pain — he  to  whom  all 
things  seem  alike — such  an  one,  say  I,  hath 
acquired  the  road  to  Immortality. 

'That  which  is  unreal  hath  no  shadow  of 
Real  Being,  notwithstanding  the  illusion  of  ap- 
pearance and  false  knowledge.  And  that 
which  hath  Real  Being  hath  never  ceased  to 
be — can  never  cease  to  be,  in  spite  of  all  ap- 
pearances to  the  contrary.  The  wise  have 
inquired  into  these  things,  O  Arjuna,  and  have 
discovered  the  real  Essence,  and  Inner  Mean- 
ing of  things. 

"Know  that  The  Absolute,  which  pervades 
all  things,  is  indestructible.  No  one  can  work 
the  destruction  of  the  Imperishable  One. 

"These  bodies,  which  act  as  enveloping 
coverings  for  the  souls  occupying  them,  are 
but  finite  things  of  the  moment — and  not  the 
Real  Man  at  all.  They  perish  as  all  finite 
things    perish.      Let    them    perish.      Up,    O 


30  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Prince  of  Pandu,  knowing  these  things,  pre- 
pare to  fight ! 

"He  who  in  his  ignorance  thinketh :  'I  slay,' 
or  'I  am  slain,'  babbleth  like  an  infant  lacking 
knowledge.  Of  a  truth,  none  can  slay — none 
can  be  slain. 

"Take  unto  thy  inner  mind,  this  truth,  O 
Prince!  Verily,  the  Real  Man — the  Spirit  of 
Man — is  neither  born,  nor  doth  it  die.  Un- 
born, undying,  ancient,  perpetual  and  eternal, 
it  hath  endured  and  will  endure  forever.  The 
body  may  die;  be  slain;  be  destroyed  com- 
pletely; but  He  that  hath  occupied  it  remain- 
eth  unharmed. 

"How  can  a  man  who  knoweth  the  truth 
— that  the  Real  Man  is  eternal,  indestructible, 
superior  to  time,  change  and  accident,  com- 
mit the  folly  of  thinking  that  he  can  either 
kill;  cause  to  be  killed;  or  be  killed  himself? 

"As  a  man  throweth  away  his  old  garments, 
replacing  them  with  new  and  brighter  ones, 
even  so  the  Dweller  of  the  body,  having  quit- 
ted its  old  mortal  frame,  entereth  into  others 
which  are  new  and  freshly  prepared  for  it. 

"Weapons  pierce  and  cut  not  the  Real  Man, 
nor  doth  the  fire  burn  him ,  the  water  affect- 


THE   INNER  DOCTRINE  31 

eth  him  not,  nor  doth  the  wind  dry  him  nor 
blow  him  away.  For  he  is  impregnable  and 
impervious  to  these  things  of  the  world  of 
change;  he  is  eternal,  permanent,  unchange- 
able and  unalterable ;  He  is  Real. 

"In  his  Essence  he  is  immutable,  unthink- 
able,   inconceivable,    unknowable;   therefore 
why  shouldst  thou  allow  thyself  to  be  made  a 
weakling  by  childish  grief? 

"Or  if,  perchance,  thou  believeth  not  these 
things,  and  liveth  in  the  illusion  of  belief  in 
birth  and  death  as  realities— even  so,  asketh 
thee,  why  shouldst  thou  lament  and  grieve? 
For,  if  this  last  be  true,  then  as  certain  as  it 
is  that  all  men  have  been  born,  so  is  it  certain 
that  all  men  must  die;  therefore  why  grieve 
and  fret  thyself  over  the  inevitable  and  un- 
avoidable ? 

"To  those  who  lack  the  Inner  Wisdom, 
there  is  ho  knowledge  of  whence  we  come,  or 
whither  we  go;  such  know  only  what  is  at  the 
moment.  Why  should  they,  then  disturb 
themselves  regarding  this  thing  or  that— why 
should  they  lament  ? 

"Some  wonder  greatly  regarding  the  soul, 
while  others  hear  of  and  speak  of  it  with  in- 


32  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

credulity  and  lack  of  comprehension.  And 
no  one,  by  mortal  mind,  really  understandeth 
the  mystery,  nor  knoweth  it  in  its  true  and 
essential  nature,  in  spite  of  all  that  has  been 
said,  taught  and  thought,  concerning  it. 

'This  Real  Man  that  inhabiteth  the  body, 
O  Arjuna,  is  invulnerable  to  harm,  hurt,  or 
death — therefore,  why  shouldst  thou  trouble 
thyself  further  about  the  matter?  Instead, 
it  is  far  more  worthy  of  thee,  thou  Prince  of 
the  Warrior  Caste,  to  face  thy  Duty  in  the 
matter,  manfully  and  resolutely.  The  Duty 
of  a  soldier  is  to  fight — and  fight  well.  And 
the  reward  of  Duty  well  done  is  the  opening 
of  the  heaven  of  thy  kind,  which  is  possible 
only  to  warriors  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  be 
able  to  participate  in  a  glorious,  just  and 
righteous  battle,  coming  to  them  unsought. 

"And  shouldest  thou  decline  the  battle,  and 
cast  away  thy  righteous  Duty  with  thy  weap- 
ons, surely  thou  wouldst  commit  a  grave 
crime  against  thine  honor,  thy  duty  and  thy 
people.  And,  men  will  see  it  only  as  such, 
and  will  recite  thy  crimes  in  terms  of  perpetual 
dishonor;  and  to  such  as  thou,  O  Prince,  the 
pangs  of  death  are  preferable  to  the  reproach 


THE   INNER   DOCTRINE  33 

of  such  dishonor.  The  generals  of  the  host 
will  think  thou  hast  fled  from  the  field  from  a 
sense  of  cowardly  fear;  those  who  have 
thought  so  highly  of  thee  until  now,  will  hold 
thee  in  abhorrence  and  contempt.  Even  thine 
enemies  will  speak  of  thee  in  shameful  terms, 
with  many  a  jest  and  sneer  at  thy  lack  of 
strength  and  courage ;  and  what  could  be  more 
painful  than  that,  to  such  as  thou  art? 

"If  thou  chance  to  be  slain  in  the  battle,  the 
warrior's  heaven  wilt  be  thy  reward ;  if  victo- 
rious thou  emergeth  from  the  fray,  the  joys 
of  earth  await  thee.  Therefore,  O  Prince  of 
Pandu,  arise  and  fight!  being  willing  to  take 
whatever  betideth  thee — be  it  pain  or  pleas- 
ure ;  loss  or  gain ;  victory  or  defeat ;  thine  only 
concern  being  whether  thou  hast  done  thy  best 
— prepare  thou  for  the  fray.  That  is  your 
plain  Duty ! 

"Know  thou,  O  Arjuna,  that  in  these  words 
of  mine  hath  been  set  before  thine  under- 
standing the  Doctrine,  which  deals  with  the 
speculative  philosophy  of  life  and  things. 
Now,  prepare  thyself  for  the  teachings  of  the 
other  school ;  thou  shalt  there  find  escape  from 


34  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

the  bonds  of  action,  and  be  forever  after  free 
from  them. 

"In  this  there  is  no  loss  or  waste  of  effort, 
nor  is  there  therein  any  danger  of  trans- 
gression, as  even  a  small  portion  of  this 
knowledge  and  practice  delivereth  one  from 
great  fear  and  danger,  because  in  this  branch 
of  knowledge  there  is  but  a  single  object,  upon 
which  the  mind  may  safely  concentrate. 

"Many  are  they,  who,  saturating  themselves 
with  the  letter  of  the  spiritual  writings  and 
teachings,  and  failing  to  catch  the  true  spirit 
thereof,  take  great  delight  in  technical  contro- 
versies regarding  the  text.  Hair-splitting  defi- 
nitions and  abstruse  interpretations  are  the 
pleasures  and  amusements  of  such  men.  Such 
are  tainted  with  worldly  lusts,  and,  therefore, 
incline  toward  a  belief  in  a  heaven  filled  with 
objects  and  employments  in  accordance  with 
their  desires  and  tastes,  instead  of  the  final 
spiritual  goal  of  all  great  souls.  Flowery 
words,  and  imposing  ceremonies  are  invented 
by  these  people,  and,  among  them,  there  is 
much  talk  of  rewards  for  this  observance,  and 
punishment  for  that  lack  of  it.  To  these  whose 
minds  incline  to  such  teachings,  the  use  of  the 


THE   INNER  DOCTRINE  35 

concentrated,  determined  reason  and  the  still 
higher  Spiritual  Consciousness,  is  unknown. 

"The  object  of  the  spiritual  teachings  is  the 
instruction  of  the  thoughtful  ones  to  the  end 
that  they  may  rise  above  these  Three  Qualities 
or  Gunas.  Be  thou  free  from  them,  O  Ar- 
jitna!  Free  thyself  from  the  pairs  of  oppo- 
sites — the  changeful  things  of  finite  life;  and 
careless  about  the  same  dwelleth  thou  in  the 
consciousness  of  the  Real  Self.  Be  free  from 
worldly  anxiety,  and  the  fierce  cravings  for 
material  possessions.  Be  self-centered  and 
uncontrolled  by  the  illusions  of  the  finite 
world. 

"Just  as  does  the  full  water-tank,  when 
drawn  upon,  supply  the  crystal  fluid  which 
will  fill  every  vessel  according  to  its  shape  and 
size,  so  do  the  spiritual  teachings,  when 
drawn  upon,  furnish  just  what  is  needed  to  fill 
the  mind  of  the  earnest  student,  according  to 
the  degree  and  character  of  its  development. 

"So  rule  thy  actions  and  thought  that  thy 
motive  be  Right  Doing  rather  than  the  Reward 
which  may  come  from  the  action.  Be  not 
moved  by  hope  or  expectation  of  what  may 
come  as  the  result  of  thy  action.     But  also 


36  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

must  thou  avoid  the  temptation  of  Inaction, 
which  cometh  often  to  him  who  has  lost  the 
illusion  of  the  hope  of  reward  for  action. 

" Stand  thou  between  these  two  extremes, 
O  Prince,  and  perform  thy  Duty  because  it  is 
Duty,  freeing  thyself  from  all  desire  of  re- 
ward for  the  performance,  and  concerning 
not  thyself  whether  the  consequences  seem 
good  or  evil ;  success  or  failure.  Do  thy  best, 
according  to  the  dictates  of  thy  Duty,  and 
then  maintain  that  equal-mindedness  which  is 
the  mark  of  the  Yogi. 

"Important  though  Right  Action  be,  yet  it 
yields  precedence  to  Right  Thinking.  There- 
fore take  thou  refuge  in  the  peace  and  calm  of 
Right  Thinking,  O  Arjuna,  for  they  who  stake 
their  well-being  upon  action  alone  must  needs 
lose  happiness  and  peace,  and  find  themselves 
possessed  only  of  misery  and  discontent. 

"He  who  hath  attained  the  Yogi  conscious- 
ness is  able  to  rise  above  good  and  evil  results. 
Strive  to  attain  unto  this  consciousness ;  for  it 
is  the  key  to  the  mystery  of  action. 

"Those  who  have  so  far  attained  that  they 
mentally  relinquish  the  possible  fruit  of  the 
Right  Action,  are  on  the  road  to  the  mastery 


THE   INNER  DOCTRINE  37 

of  Karma.  Their  chains,  which  bind  them  to 
the  round  of  involuntary  rebirth,  become  loos- 
ened, and  in  the  end  drop  from  their  limbs  and 
leave  them  free.  Eternal  bliss  is  in  sight  for 
these. 

"When  thou  shalt  rise  beyond  the  plane  of 
illusion,  then  shalt  thou  cease  to  disturb  thy- 
self regarding  doctrines,  theology,  disputa- 
tions concerning  rites  or  ceremonies,  and  other 
useless  trimmings  upon  the  cloth  of  spiritual 
thought.  Then  shalt  thou  be  liberated  from 
attachments  to  sacred  books,  to  writings  of 
learned  theologians,  or  to  those  who  would  in- 
terpret that  which  they  fail  themselves  to 
understand;  but  instead,  shalt  thou  fix  thy 
mind  in  earnest  contemplation  of  the  Spirit, 
and  thus  reach  the  harmony  with  thy  Real 
Self,  which  underlies  all." 

Arjuna  :  "Tell  me,  O  Krishna;  thou  whose 
knowledge  includes  all  wisdom — tell  me,  I 
pray,  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
Wise  Man,  who,  stable  of  mind,  blessed  with 
spiritual  knowledge,  and  fixed  in  contempla- 
tion, is  worthy  of  the  name  of  Sage.  How  sit- 
teth,  moveth,  or  acteth  he?  How  may  he  be 
known  to  ordinary  men  ?" 


38  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

Krishna:  "Know,  O  Prince,  that  when  a 
man  freeth  himself  from  the  bonds  of  the 
desires  of  his  heart,  and  findeth  satisfaction  in 
the  Real  Self  within  himself — such  a  one  has 
attained  Spiritual  Consciousness.  His  mind 
is  disturbed  neither  by  adversity  nor  by  pros- 
perity; accepting  both,  he  is  tied  to  neither. 
Anger,  fear  and  worry  have  been  cast  off  by 
him  as  discarded  garments.  He  is  worthy 
of  the  name  of  Sage. 

"Such  a  man  meets  the  charges  and  events 
of  life,  be  they  favorable  or  unfavorable,  with 
equanimity — likes  and  dislikes  being  foreign 
to  him,  for  he  is  no  longer  bound  by  attach- 
ments, or  things. 

"When  a  man  hath  attained  true  spiritual 
knowledge,  he  becometh  like  unto  the  tortoise 
which  is  able  to  draw  within  its  shell  its  limbs, 
for  such  a  man  may  withdraw  his  faculties  of 
sense-impression  from  the  objects  of  sense,  and 
shelter  them  from  the  illusions  of  the  sense- 
world,  well  protected  by  the  armor  of  the 
Spirit. 

"It  is  true  that  there  are  those  who  are  able 
to  refrain  from  gratification  of  the  senses,  but 
the  desire  for  gratification  still  disturbs.     But 


THE   INNER   DOCTRINE  39 

he  who  has  found  the  Real  Self  within  and 
who  knoweth  what  he  hath  found — even 
Desire  fadeth  away  from  such  a  one,  and  temp- 
tation is  temptation  no  more,  but  becomes  even 
as  a  shadow  which  hath  been  effaced  by  the 
glare  of  the  noon-sun  overhead. 

"The  abstainer  is  oft  carried  away  by  a 
sudden  rush  of  tumultuous  desire,  which 
sweeps  away  his  resolutions — but  he  who 
knoweth  the  Real  Self  to  be  the  only  Reality  is 
master  of  himself,  his  desires  and  his  senses. 
Wrapt  in  contemplation  of  the  Real,  the  un- 
real exists  not  for  him. 

"The  man  who  allows  his  mind  to  dwell 
closely  on  the  objects  of  sense,  becomes  so 
wrapped  up  in  the  object  of  his  contemplation 
that  he  creates  an  attachment  which  binds 
him  to  them.  From  this  attachment  ariseth 
Desire;  from  Desire  springeth  Passion;  from 
Passion  come  Folly  and  Recklessness;  from 
these  proceed  loss  of  Memory;  and  from  loss 
of  Memory  cometh  loss  of  Reason ;  thus  he 
loseth  all. 

"But  he  who  hath  gained  freedom  from 
attachment  to,  or  fear  of,  objects  of  sense; 
he  who  findeth  his  strength  and  love  in  the 


40  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

Real  Self;  he  gaineth  Peace.  And  in  that 
Peace  which  passeth  all  understanding,  he 
finds  release  from  all  the  troubles  and  pains  of 
life.  And,  his  mind,  now  freed  from  these 
disturbing  elements,  is  open  to  the  inflow  of 
Wisdom  and  Knowledge. 

'There  is  no  true  Knowledge  possible  for 
those  who  have  not  entered  into  this  Peace, 
for  without  the  Peace  there  can  be  no  calm, 
and  without  calm  how  can  there  be  knowl- 
edge or  Wisdom?  Outside  of  the  Peace  there 
is  naught  but  the  storm  of  the  sense-desires, 
which  sweepeth  away  the  faculties  of  knowl- 
edge, as  the  fierce  gale  sweepeth  away  the 
mighty  ship  which  is  borne  on  the  bosom  of 
the  ocean. 

"Verily,  only  he,  O  Prince,  whose  senses  are 
shielded  from  the  object  of  sense,  by  the  pro- 
tection of  the  knowledge  of  the  Spirit — only 
he  is  possessed  of  wisdom. 

"To  him,  what  seemeth  the  bright  things  of 
day  to  the  mass,  are  known  to  be  the  things 
of  darkness  and  ignorance — and  what  seemeth 
dark  as  night  to  the  many,  he  seeth  suffused 
with  the  light  of  noonday.  That  is  to  say,  O 
Prince,  that  that  which  seemeth  real  to  the 


THE    INNER   DOCTRINE  41 

men  of  the  sense-world,  is  known  to  be  illusion 
by  the  Sage.  And  that  which  seemeth  unreal 
and  non-existent  to  the  crowd,  is  known  to  the 
Sage  as  the  only  Reality.  Such  is  the  differ- 
ence in  the  powers  and  vision  of  men. 

"The  man  whose  heart  is  like  unto  the  ocean, 
into  which  all  rivers  flow,  but  remaineth  con- 
stant and  unmoved  in  its  bed — the  man,  who 
feeleth  the  inrush  of  the  desires,  passions  and 
inclinations,  but  who  is  moved  not  thereby, 
hath  obtained  Peace.  But  he  who  lusteth  in 
his  lust  is  without  Peace,  and  is  forever  the 
plaything  of  disturbing  desires. 

He  who  hath  divorced  himself  from  the 
effects  of  desires  and  abandoned  the  lusts  of 
the  flesh,  in  thought  as  in  action,  walketh 
straight  to  Peace.  He,  who  hath  left  behind 
him  Pride,  Vain-glory,  and  Selfishness,  goeth 
straight  to  Happiness.    Yea,  so  goeth  he ! 

"This,  O  Prince  of  Pandu,  is  the  state  of 
Union  with  the  Real  Self — the  Blissful  state — 
the  state  of  Spiritual  Consciousness.  And  he 
who  hath  attained  it  no  longer  is  bewildered 
nor  led  astray  by  Illusion.  If  having  attained 
it,  he  dwelleth  therein  unto  the  hour  of  death, 


42  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

he    pass#eth    straight    to    the    Bosom    of    the 
Father." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  II  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  INNER 
DOCTRINE." 


PART  III. 

THE  SECRET  OF  WORK. 

Then  spake  Arjuna,  the  Pandu  Prince,  unto 
Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"O  Bestower  of  Knowledge!  If,  as  thou 
hath  said  unto  me,  Right  Thinking  is  more  im- 
portant than  Right  Action — if  the  Thought  be 
superior  to  the  Deed — then  wherefore  dost 
thou  incite  me  to  Action  ?  Why  dost  thou  urge 
me  on  to  this  horrible  battle  with  my  kinsmen 
and  friends?  Thy  subtle  words  and  doubtful 
speech  confuse  my  understanding,  and  the  re- 
membrance thereof  causeth  my  brain  to  spin 
and  whirl  unsteadily.  Inform  me,  I  pray  thee 
— and  inform  me  with  certainty — of  the  one 
course  that  leads  toward  Peace  and  Satisfac- 
tion/' 

Krishna:  "As  I  have  already  told  thee,  O 
Pandu  Prince,  there  are  two  roads  to  the  goal 
thou  seeketh.  The  first  of  these  is  the  road  of 
Right  Thought ;  and  the  second  that  of  Right 
Actioq .  Each  road  hath  its  travelers,  who  de- 
clare their  own  road  to  be  the  only  true  one 
43 


44  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

And,  yet,  I  say  unto  thee,  that  both  of  these 
roads  are  one,  when  seen  from  above.  Listen 
to  my  words ! 

"He  is  deceived  who  thinketh  that  by  shrink- 
ing from  action,  and  resting  in  inactivity,  he 
escapeth  the  results  of  action.  Nor  doth  he 
gain  happiness  from  such  practices.  There  is 
no  such  thing  as  real  inaction,  for  all  the  Uni- 
verse is  in  constant  activity,  and  no  single  point 
in  the  Universe  may  escape  the  general  law. 

"No  one — not  even  for  a  moment — can  re- 
main inactive.  For  the  laws  of  his  nature  im- 
pel him  to  constant  activity  of  body,  or  mind, 
or  both.  Even  against  his  will,  is  he  impelled 
into  action  of  some  kind.  There  is  no  escape 
from  the  universal  law. 

"And,  again,  I  say  unto  you,  that  he,  who 
restrains  and  controls  his  sense-organs  and  in- 
struments of  activity,  and,  yet,  in  his  foolish 
mind,  dwells  upon  the  objects  and  things  of  the 
senses,  is  a  deluded  and  deceived  soul. 

"But  he,  who,  expressing  his  mind  in  Right 
Action,  through  Duty,  without  attachment  to 
rewards,  performeth  his  work  in  the  world — 
verily,  he  is  to  be  esteemed  wise  and  worthy. 

"Act  well  thy  part  in  the  world — perform 


THE   SECRET   OF    WORK  45 

well  thine  allotted  tasks — take  hold  of  that 
work  which  lies  nearest  thy  hand,  and  do  it 
the  best  that  is  in  thy  power  to  do — and  it  will 
be  well  with  thee.  Work  is  far  preferable  to 
idleness — the  one  doth  strengthen  the  mind 
and  body,  and  is  conducive  to  a  long  and  nor- 
mal life;  while  the  other  doth  weaken  both 
body  and  mind,  and  leadeth  to  an  impotent  and 
unhappy  life,  of  uncertain  duration. 

'The  race  of  men  is  bound  because  of  action 
performed  from  motives  of  reward  and  gain; 
it  hath  become  attached  to  its  desired  objects, 
and  must  toil  on,  bound,  until  freedom  comes 
at  last.  But  do  thou  avoid,  this  folly,  O  Ar- 
jitna,  and  do  thou  perform  thy  dutiful  and 
proper  tasks  unattached  and  free.  Perform 
thy  tasks  for  the  sake  of  Duty  to  the  Real  Self 
alone,  and  for  no  other  motive. 

Rememberest  thou,  Ad j una,  the  ancient 
teachings  which  inform  thee  of  the  creation 
of  the  world,  and  of  the  words  the  Creator 
spake  to  his  created  beings?  Listen  to  his 
words,  which  I  repeat  to  thee:  '"Worship! 
Sacrifice!  And  remember  the  Source  Of 
All  Things — the  Bestower  of  Desired  Ob- 
jects !    Think  of  the  gods,  that  the  gods  may 


16  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

think  of  you !  Ask  that  ye  may  receive !  He 
who  receiveth  the  gifts  of  the  gods,  and 
faileth  to  accord  to  them  his  thought  and 
recognition  is  like  unto  a  thief.  From  food, 
creatures  are  nourished  and  grown ;  from  rain 
cometh  the  food ;  from  the  gods  come  the  rain 
in  response  to  the  desires  and  demands  of 
man ;  and  the  desires  and  demands  of  man  are 
forms  of  action ;  and  the  actions  proceed  from 
the  One — All-pervading  Life.' 

"He,  who,  living  in  this  world  of  action, 
attempts  to  refrain  from  action — he,  who, 
enjoying  the  fruits  of  action  of  the  acting 
world,  would  still  shirk  from  his  share  of  the 
work  and  action  of  the  world — he  who  would 
thus  idle  away  his  life  lives  a  life  most  vain 
and  shameful.  He  who  profiteth  by  the  turn 
of  the  wheel,  at  every  moment  of  his  life,  yet 
refuseth  to  touch  his  hand  to  it  to  impart  mo- 
tion, is  a  shirker  of  tasks  and  a  thief  who 
takes,  giving  nothing  in  return. 

"But  wise  is  he  who  acteth  otherwise,  and 
who  performeth  well  his  work  of  the  world, 
providing,  that  he  be  unattached  to  the  fruits 
thereof  and  that  he  be  always  centered  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Real  Self.    For  such  an  one 


THE  SECRET   OF   WORK  47 

ooncerneth  not  himself  regarding  what  is  be- 
ing done  in  the  world,  nor  what  is  being  left 
undone;  in  all  created  things,  there  is  no  one 
thing  upon  which  he  needs  lean,  or  in  which 
he  need  place  dependence  for  his  being.  Par- 
taking of  all,  and  acting  in  all — according  to 
the  dictates  of  Duty — he  never  depends  upon 
any  external  thing;  his  trust,  and  hope  and 
knowledge  are  fixed  upon  the  Imperishable — 
the  only  sure  dependence. 

"Therefore,  such  action,  springing  from 
Duty,  free  from  attachment  or  dependence, 
leadeth  one  straight  to  the  consciousness  and 
plane  of  Spirit. 

"Rememberest  thou  not,  that  Janaka  and 
many  others  reached  a  stage  of  perfection  by 
means  of  Good  Works  and  Right  Action? 
Thou  shouldst  take  note  of  the  universal  prac- 
tice of  mankind,  and  act  accordingly,  for  such 
universal  practice  must  needs  be  the  result 
of  long  experience  in  happiness.  The  wise,  in 
all  times,  have  taught  the  virtue  of  work  and 
action,  and  thou  mayst  well  follow  the  best  of 
thy  race. 

"Considereth  thou  Me,  O  Prince!  Thou 
knowest  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  Universe 


48  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

of  Universes  which  I  desire,  or  which  is 
necessary  for  Me  to  perform.  Nor  is  it  pos- 
sible for  anything  to  be  attained  by  Me,  which 
I  have  not  already  attained.  And  yet,  O 
Pandu  Prince,  and  yet,  I  am  in  constant 
action  and  motion.  I  work  without  ceasing. 
And  if  I  were  not  constantly  in  action,  O 
Arjuna,  would  not  men  follow  my  example? 
Should  I  refrain  from  action,  would  these 
Universes  not  fall  into  ruin,  and  utter  confu- 
sion and  chaos  reign? 

"Remember,  O  Arjuna,  that  even  as  the 
undeveloped  do  labor  and  act  through  attach- 
ment and  hope  of  reward,  so  should  the  de- 
veloped and  enlightened  act  and  work  for  the 
common  cause  and  universal  law,  and  not 
from  attachment  to  personal  ends  and  objects, 

"It  is  not  wisdom  to  unsettle  the  minds  of 
the  undeveloped  with  these  thoughts;  let 
them  labor  on,  each  doing  the  best  that  he 
can ;  but  do  thou  and  the  other  wise  ones, 
work  in  harmony  with  me  and  endeavor  to 
render  all  action  attractive  to  them.  And 
this  is  best  done  by  the  force  of  example. 

"Place  the  responsibility  for  action  upon 
the  shoulders  of  Him  to  whom  it  belongs — the 


THE   SECRET   OF   WORK  49 

One;  and  then  doeth  thy  duty  as  a  man 
should,  with  mind  fixed  on  the  Real  Self,  and 
without  expectation  of  reward.  The  fool,  in 
his  conceit,  saith  'I  do  this/  and  'I  did  that/ 
but  the  wise  look  behind  the  personality  for 
the  cause  and  effect  of  action. 

Knowing  the  whole  truth,  thou  shouldst  be- 
ware of  unsettling  the  minds  of  those  not 
yet  prepared  to  grasp  it,  as  untimely  teaching 
may  drive  from  their  work  such  as  seee  only 
half-truths,  and  become  unsettled  thereby. 

"Then,  prepare  to  fight,  Arjuna,  throwing 
the  responsibility  where  it  belongs,  and  with 
thy  mind  freed  from  egotism  and  selfish  ex- 
pectation, but  centered  upon  the  Real  Self, 
engage  in  the  battle  task  before  thee! 

"Those  who  with  confidence  and  faith  shall 
constantly  follow  this  teaching  shall  be  made 
free  even  by  works  and  action.  But  those  who 
reject  the  teachings  of  Truth  and  act  con- 
trary thereto  shall  suffer  the  fate  of  the 
senseless  and  deluded  ones  and  be  confused 
and  lacking  in  Peace. 

"But  the  wise  man  also  seeketh  that  which 
is  in  harmony  with  his  own  nature  and  en- 
deavors to  fit  his  life  according  thereto,  rather 


50  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

than  to  seek  after  things  contrary  to  his 
nature.  Let  each  do  the  best  he  can,  in  his 
own  way,  and  in  accordance  with  the  highest 
within  his  own  character. 

"Beware  of  the  fixed  aversion  or  affection, 
for  objects  of  sense  which  each  will  find 
within  himself.  They  are  obstacles  on  the 
path,  and  the  wise  beware  of  putting  them- 
selves in  the  power  of  these  enemies  within 
their  camp. 

"And,  finally,  O  Arjuna,  remember  this, 
that  it  is  better  to  do  one's  own  duty,  humble 
and  insignificant  though  it  be,  than  to 
seek  to  perform  the  duty  of  another,  no  mat- 
ter how  much  nobler  that  may  seem.  Better 
death  in  the  performance  of  one's  own  duty 
and  tasks,  than  victor  in  performing  the  bor- 
rowed duty  of  another.  The  assumed  tasks 
are  full  of  danger.  Doeth  the  task  at  hand. 
When  you  are  prepared  to  perform  a  higher 
one,  it  will  be  placed  before  you,  in  the  same 
manner." 

Arjuna:  "But,  O  Krishna,  it  oft  would 
seem  that  a  man  is  pushed  into  evil  doing,  by 
some  power  outside  of  himself — as  if,  con- 
trary to  his  inclinations,  he  were  impelled  by 


THE  SECRET   OF   WORK  51 

some  secret  force.  Inform  me,  thou,  of  this 
mystery." 

Krishna:  "It  is  the  essence  of  his  accu- 
mulated Desires,  combining  for  attack,  that 
urgeth  him  on.  It  is  this  enemy  of  man, 
called  lust  or  passion,  begotten  of  the  carnal 
nature,  full  of  sin  and  error.  As  the  flame 
is  dimmed  by  the  smoke,  the  bright  metal  by 
the  rust,  so  is  the  understanding  of  man  ob- 
scured by  this  foe  called  Desire,  which  rageth 
like  the  fire,  and  is  difficult  of  being  extin- 
guished. The  senses  and  the  mind  are  its 
seat;  and  through  these  it  serves  to  confound 
and  confuse  the  Discrimination.  Thy  first 
task  should  be  to  conquer  this  foul  dweller  in 
the  mind.  Mastering  first  the  senses,  and 
sense  organs,  proceedeth  thou  then  to  put  to 
death  this  thing  of  evil. 

"The  senses  are  great  and  powerful;  but 
greater  and  more  powerful  than  the  Senses 
is  the  Mind ;  and  greater  than  the  Mind  is  the 
Will;  and  greater  than  the  Will  is  the  Real 
Self. 

"So,  thus,  rcognizing  the  Real  Self  as 
higher  than  all,  proceedeth  thou  to  govern  the 
Personal  Self,  by  the  power  of  the  Real  Self, 


52  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

and  thus  conquer  this  foul  monster,  Desire, 
most  difficult  to  seize,  and  yet  possible  of 
being  mastered  by  the  Real  Self.  Then  bind 
him  fast  for  evermore,  thy  slave  instead  of 
thy  master." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  III  OF  THE  BHAGVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  SECRET  OF 
WORK." 


PART  IV. 

SPIRITUAL    KNOWLEDGE. 

And  the  Blessed  Lord  spake  further  unto 
Arjuna,  the  Pandu  Prince,  as  together  they 
stood  in  the  war  chariot  between  the  two 
armies,  saying: 

"This  eternal  teaching  of  Yoga,  spake  I 
unto  Vivaswat,  whom  men  call  the  Sun — the 
Lord  of  Light.  And  he  in  turn  communicated 
it  to  Manu,  the  reigning  spirit.  And  he  in 
turn  transmitted  it  to  Ikshwaku,  the  found- 
er of  the  solar  dynasty.  And  from  him  it  was 
passed  on  from  higher  to  lower  degree,  until 
it  was  known  to  the  Royal- Sages. 

"But,  know,  O  Prince,  that  as  the  years 
have  passed  by,  this  noble  teaching  hath  de- 
cayed and  its  light  hath  grown  dim.  Almost 
lost  hath  become  its  inner  spirit,  and  men 
know  naught  but  its  letter.  Such  is  ever  the 
fate  of  Truth  among  the  race  of  men. 

"But  once  more,  to  thee,  do  I  declare  the 
Truth,  knowing  that  thou  art  a  true  devotee. 
53 


54  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Listen  well  to  it,  Arjuna,  because  it  is  the 
supreme  mystery  and  ancient  Truth." 

Arjuxa:  "How  mayeth  I  solve  the  riddle, 
O  Krishna,  when  thou  sayest  that  thou  taught 
this  truth  to  Vivaszvat  in  the  beginning — for 
it  is  taught  that  Vivaswat  existed  before 
Time  began,  and  thou  wert  born  in  more  re- 
cent time?" 

Krishxas  "Many  have  been  my  births  and 
re-births,  O  Prince — and  many  also  have  been 
thine  own.  But  between  us  lies  this  difference 
— I  am  conscious  of  all  my  lives,  but  thou 
lackest  remembrance  of  thine. 

"Listen  to  this  great  secret.  Although  I 
am  above  birth  and  rehirth,  or  Law,  being 
the  Lord  of  all  there  is,  for  all  emanateth 
from  me — still  do  I  will  to  appear  in  my  own 
universe,  and  am  therefore  born  by  my 
Power  and  Thought,  and  Will. 

"Knoweth  thou  this,  O  Prince,  that  when- 
ever the  world  declineth  in  virtue  and  right- 
eousness;  and  vice  and  injustice  mount  the 
throne — then  cometh  I,  the  Lord,  and  revisit 
my  world  in  visible  form,  and  mingleth  as  a 
man  with  men,  and  by  my  influence  and  teach- 
ings do  I  destroy  the  evil  and  injustice,  and  re- 


SPIRITUAL    KNOWLEDGE  55 

establish  virtue  and  righteousness.  Many 
times  have  I  thus  appeared ;  many  times  here- 
after shall  I  come  again. 

"He  who  is  able  to  pierce  my  disguise,  and 
who  knoweth  me  in  my  Essence,  when  he 
quitteth  his  mortal  frame,  is  released  from  re- 
birth in  worlds,  but  is  granted  the  joy  of 
dwelling  with  Me. 

"Many,  freeing  themselves  from  anger, 
hate,  fear  and  attachment  to  things,  and  keep- 
ing their  minds  fixed  upon  me,  have  been 
purified  by  the  Sacred  Flame  of  Wisdom,  and 
have  come  to  dwell  with  Me. 

"No  matter  by  what  path  men  approach 
Me,  they  are  made  welcome.  For  all  paths  no 
matter  how  diverse  lead  straight  to  Me.  All 
paths  are  mine,  notwithstanding  by  what 
names  they  may  be  called. 

"Even  they  who  tread  the  path  of  the 
lower  deities  and  imaginary  gods  and  who 
pray  to  them  for  success  through  action — 
even  these,  say  I,  meet  with  reward,  for  they 
reap  the  success  that  comes  from  earnest  ap- 
plication and  industrious  action.  Through 
the  laws  of  Mind  and  Nature,  do  their  gods, 
real  or  imagined,  answer  them. 


56  THE    BHAGAYAD    GITA 

"But  I  am  the  creator  of  all  mankind  in  all 
of  its  phases  and  forms.  From  me  proceed 
the  four  castes,  with  their  distinguishing 
qualities  and  activities.  Know  me  as  the  cre- 
ator of  all  these,  though  in  Myself  I  am 
changeless  and  without  qualities. 

"In  my  essence  I  am  free  from  the  effects 
of  action ;  and  I  have  not  any  desire  for  re- 
wards or  the  fruits  of  actions ;  for  these  things 
are  produced  by  My  power  and  have  no  hold 
upon  Me.  Verily  I  say  that  he  who  is  able 
to  see  and  perceive  Me  as  I  am,  in  mine  own 
essence — he  is  freed  from  the  effects  of 
action.  Understanding  this,  the  Wise  Men  of 
old  still  performed  actions,  but  were  not  at- 
tached to  the  fruits  thereof,  and  so  moved  on 
to  Deliverance.  Follow  thou  their  example 
and  reap  their  reward. 

"But  even  the  wise,  at  times,  have  been 
confused  as  to  what  was  Action  and  what 
Inaction.  Therefore,  I  will  inform  thee  re- 
garding this.  I  shalt  tell  thee  of  what  action 
consisteth,  knowing  which  thou  shalt  be  re- 
lieved from  evil  and  set  free. 

"He  who  would  learn  the  truth  concerning 
action  must  grasp  these  three  things — Action, 


SPIRITUAL    KNOWLEDGE  57 

Inaction,  and  Wrong  Action.  Difficult  to 
clearly  discern  is  the  path  of  Action. 

"He  who  hath  so  far  attained  that  he  is 
able  to  see  Action  in  Inaction  and  Inaction  in 
Action  is  among  the  wise  of  his  race,  and  to 
him  cometh  harmony  and  peace  even  while  he 
performeth  actions.  His  works  are  free  from 
the  bonds  of  desire,  and  his  activities  are 
purged  of  their  dross  by  the  Flame  of  Wis- 
dom. 

"Having  freed  himself  from  attachment  to 
the  fruits  of  actions,  and  not  being  depend- 
ent thereon,  he  is  enjoying  Inaction  even  while 
in  the  very  exercise  of  Action.  Freed  from 
all  and  dependent  upon  naught,  his  mind 
and  senses  under  control,  he  goeth  through 
the  motion  of  action  and  seemeth  even  to 
perform  it  in  the  most  approved  and  success- 
ful manner ;  but  full  well  he  knoweth  that  his 
Real  Self  is  not  entangled  in  the  action,  and 
is  far  above  reward  or  punishment,  for  vic- 
tory or  defeat.  He  is  released  from  the  con- 
sequences of  Action,  which  are  bonds  and 
chains  holding  down  those  who  know  not  the 
truth. 

"Being  content  with  what  the  day  bring- 


58  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

eth  forth ;  and  being  freed  from  like  and  dis- 
like ;  being  without  envy ;  being  willing  to  ac- 
cept success  or  failure  with  a  cheerful  heart, 
after  having  done  his  best,  he  is  not  bound. 
For  him  who  hath  killed  attachment  and  who 
dwelleth  harmoniously  with  his  mind  fixed  in 
the  true  knowledge  and  wisdom,  all  the  bind- 
ing effects  of  action  melt  away  as  the  cloud 
before  the  rising  sun. 

"As  the  sacrifice  which  goeth  to  the  Eternal 
One  is  in  reality  but  a  mere  form  of  That  to 
which  it  goes — so  he  who  knoweth  Me  in  all 
of  his  actions  shall  come  to  Me. 

"Some  there  be  who  offer  up  sacrifices  to 
the  lesser  gods,  and  others  there  be  who  wor- 
ship the  Divine  Principle  in  the  fire ;  others 
pour  their  sense-desires  upon  the  altar ;  others 
offer  up  the  very  functions  of  life ;  others  still 
there  be  who  make  offering  of  the  sacrifice  of 
wealth — or  who  practice  austerity  as  a  token 
of  worship — or  who  meditate  in  silence  and 
thought ;  others  there  be  who  practice  Yoga 
as  a  worship ;  and  some  make  vows  and  ren- 
der devotional  exercises ;  still  others  practice 
sacred  breathings  as  their  share  of  offering; 
others  perform  fastings. 


SPIRITUAL  KNOWLEDGE  59 

"All  make  sacrifices,  though  their  offerings 
be  far  different  in  nature  and  kind.  And  all 
are  benefitted  by  the  spirit  which  causes  their 
form  of  sacrifice ;  all  gain  merit  by  the  sacrifi- 
cial spirit  behind  the  observance.  There  is 
much  virtue  and  merit  in  self-restraint  and 
self-mastery,  O  Prince,  and  thus  do  the  sac- 
rifices come  nearer  to  Me.  Yea,  they  who 
rise  from  their  sacrificese  with  increased 
spiritual  comprehension  draw  nearer  unto  Me. 
But,  for  him  who  maketh  no  sacrifices,  O 
Prince,  there  is  no  merit  for  him  in  this  world 
— how  then  can  there  be  merit  for  him  in 
another  ? 

"Thou  hast  seen  that  there  are  many  forms 
of  sacrifices  and  worship  in  the  world,  O 
Arjuna.  Knoweth  thou,  then,  that  Action 
pervadeth  all  these  forms.  Knowing  this, 
thou  art  freed  from  error.  But  better  than 
the  sacrifice  of  objects  and  things,  O 
Prince,  is  the  offering  of  Wisdom.  Wisdom, 
in  itself,  is  the  sum  of  all  Action — the  Spirit- 
ual Knowing  comprehends  all  Action. 

"Learn  thou  this  lesson  by  study,  thought, 
service  and  investigation.  The  Wise  Ones — 
the  Seers — the  possessors  of  the  Inner  Knowl- 


60  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

edge — will  aid  thee,  from  time  to  time,  as 
thou  art  ready.  When  the  pupil  is  ready,  the 
Master  appeareth.  When  thou  most  needeth 
knowledge — the  next  link  in  thy  chain — wait 
in  patience  and  confidence,  for  lo !  suddenly  at 
thy  hand,  shalt  come  that  which  thou  needest. 
And  having  acquired  this  wisdom,  O  Prince, 
thou  shalt  be  freed  from  confusion,  misunder- 
standing and  error;  for  by  means  of  this 
Wisdom  shalt  thou  know  all  beings  as  in  the 
One  Life,  and  thus  in  Me. 

"Though  thou  hath  been  the  greatest  of 
sinners,  yet  even  thou  shalt  be  carried  over  the 
sea  of  error  upon  the  boat  of  Truth.  As  the 
flame  reduceth  the  wood  to  ashes  which  are 
borne  away  by  the  wind,  so  shalt  the  fire  of 
Truth  convert  into  ashes  the  result  of  the  evil 
actions  which  thou  hast  committed  in  ignor- 
ance and  error.  Verily,  in  the  world,  there  is 
no  purifying  agent  like  unto  the  Flame  of 
Spiritual  Truth.  And  he  who  acquireth  it 
findeth  himself  purged  of  the  dross  of  Person- 
ality and  in  time  findeth  the  Real  Self. 

"He  that  hath  great  faith,  that  mastereth 
the  Personal  Self  and  its  sense-attachments — 
hath  attained  Wisdom,  and  is  on  the  path  to 


SPIRITUAL   KNOWLEDGE  61 

the  Supreme  Peace.  But  the  ignorant  and 
those  of  little  faith,  find  not  even  the  begin- 
ning of  the  path.  Without  faith  there  is  no 
happiness  or  peace,  neither  in  this  world  nor 
the  next. 

"Free  from  the  bonds  of  action  is  that  man 
who  by  means  of  Spiritual  Knowledge  hath 
attached  himself  to  Wisdom  and  thus  torn 
asunder  the  illusion  of  doubt — he  indeed  is 
Free. 

"Then  rise  in  thy  might,  O  Arjuna,  Prince 
of  the  Pandus,  seize  thy  bright  and  gleaming 
sword  of  Spiritual  Wisdom,  and  cut  thou,  with 
one  strong  sweep  of  thy  blade,  the  bonds  of 
doubt  and  unbelief  which  confine  thy  mind 
and  heart.  Arise,  O  Prince,  and  perform 
thine  appointed  action !" 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  IV,  OF  THE  BHAGVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "SPIRITUAL 
KNOWLEDGE." 


PART  V. 

RENUNCIATION. 

Then,  again,  spake  Arjuna,  the  Pandu 
Prince,  unto  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  say- 
ing: 

"O  Krishna,  thou  speakest  in  paradoxes, 
for  first  dost  thou  praise  renunciation  of  ac- 
tions, and  then  praisest  thou  the  performance 
of  service  through  actions.  Pray  which  of 
these  two  hath  the  greater  merit?  And  I  beg 
of  thee  that  thou  telleth  me  plainly  and  with- 
out danger  of  further  doubt  and  confusion  on 
my  part." 

Krishna:  "Say  I  unto  thee,  O  Prince, 
that  both  Renunciation  of  Action  and  Serv- 
ice through  Action  have  great  merit — both 
lead  toward  the  highest  goal.  But,  verily,  I 
say  unto  thee,  that,  of  the  two,  the  perform- 
ance of  Service  is  preferable  to  the  Renun- 
ciation of  Action — Right  Action  is  better 
than  is  Inaction.  But  even  in  the  use  of  these 
terms,  thou  must  be  watchful  lest  thou  fail 
into  confusion.  For  truly  is  he  the  greatest 
62 


RENUNCIATION  63 

Renouncer  who  neither  seeks  action  nor  yet 
avoids  it — who  neither  runs  after  action,  nor 
yet  runs  away  from  it.  He  thus  renounceth 
all,  both  likes  and  dislikes.  Free  from  the 
pairs  of  opposites  is  he,  and  calm  and  content, 
ready  to  perform  all  tasks  and  actions  that 
may  be  set  before  him,  and  yet  likewise  ready 
to  refrain  from  all  action,  not  being  attached 
thereto;  yea,  verily  is  such  a  one  freed  from 
bondage. 

''The  grown-up  children  who  are  entering 
into  the  study  of  the  Truth  are  most  prone  to 
speak  of  Renunciation  of  Action  and  the  Per- 
formance of  Right  Action  as  different.  Sages 
know  them  both  as  one.  Both  lead  to  the 
same  goal,  and  the  followers  of  the  one  attain 
that  which  is  attained  by  the  followers  of  the 
other.  He  who  seeth  beneath  the  surface  of 
things,  perceiveth  that  in  their  essence  both 
are  one. 

"But  it  is  a  most  difficult  task  to  attain  to 
Renunciation  of  Action  without  the  perform- 
ance of  Service  through  Action,  O  Arjuna, 
and  the  man  who  harmonizes  the  two  ways  is 
blessed  indeed,  for  he  is  well  started  upon  the 
road  to  Peace.    He  who  is  engaged  in  the  per- 


64  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

formance  of  Right  Action,  and  who  at  the 
same  time  keepeth  himself  free  from  the  de- 
sire of  the  fruit  of  action — he  thus  renoun- 
ced action,  although  performing  it.  He  is 
thus  able  to  subdue  his  senses  and  desires,  and 
by  such  mastery  is  enabled  to  see  beyond  the 
Personal  Self,  and  to  become  conscious  of  the 
Real  Self  which  is  one  with  the  Real  Self  of 
all  beings.  He  knoweth  the  Universal  Life, 
and  that  from  which  the  Universal  Life  pro- 
ceeds. And  so  knowing  and  acting,  he  is  not 
bound  by  the  bonds  of  Action,  but  is  free 
therefrom. 

"Being  so,  he  is  at  harmony  between  the 
two  ideas.  And,  although  he  seeth,  heareth. 
feeleth,  smelleth,  eateth,  moveth,  sleepeth, 
breatheth,  yet  knoweth  he  that  the  Real  Self 
underlieth  all  action  and  therefore  may  say 
'Of  my  Personal  Self,  do  I  nothing.'  Truly 
he  may  also  say  'The  senses  perform  their 
parts  in  the  sense-world. — let  them  play —  I 
am  not  bound  by,  nor  deceived  by  them,  for  I 
know  them  for  what  they  are.' 

"He,  who  thus  acteth,  seeing  back  of  all 
action  the  Real  Self  which  is  actionless,  is  free 
from  the  stain  of  the  world.     He  remaineth 


RENUNCIATION  65 

like  the  lotus-leaf  which  is  harmed  not  by  the 
waters  around  it.  The  wise,  having  aban- 
doned attachment,  perform  the  actions  of 
body,  mind  and  intellect  and  even  of  the 
senses  understanding^,  and  ever  have  Right 
Action  and  Purification  in  view.  Harmo- 
nized, and  abandoning  the  desire  and  hope 
of  reward  for  actions,  they  gain  Peace.  But 
those  who  lack  this  harmony  and  who  are 
held  fast  in  the  bonds  of  desire  of  rewards  for 
actions  are  troubled  and  filled  with  unrest  and 
dissatisfaction. 

"The  wise  man,  setting  himself  free,  men- 
tally, from  actions  and  their  results,  dwelleth 
in  the  Temple  of  the  Spirit,  even  that  which 
men  call  the  Body,  resting  calmly  therein,  at 
peace,  and  neither  desiring  to  act,  nor  causing 
to  act,  and  yet  always  willing  to  play  well  his 
part  in  action  when  Duty  calleth  him.  For  he 
knoweth  that  although  his  body,  senses,  and 
mind  may  engage  in  action,  yet  the  Real  Self 
remaineth  forever  undisturbed.  For  the  Real 
Self  acteth  not  in  these  ways — such  belong 
to  the  lower  nature  of  man,  through  the  qual- 
ities of  such  nature.  The  Real  Self  perform- 
ed neither  good  nor  evil  actions ;  it  remaineth 


66  '  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

above  these  distinctions  and  their  manifesta- 
tions. 

"The  Light  of  Wisdom  is  oft  obscured  by 
the  Smoke  of  Ignorance ;  and  man  is  deluded 
thereby,  and  seeth  the  smoke  for  the  flame, 
knowing  not  what  lieth  behind  the  smoke. 
But,  they,  who  are  able  to  pierce  behind  the 
pall  of  smoke,  perceive  the  bright  Flame  of 
the  Spirit,  shining  like  unto  an  infinity  of  suns, 
free  and  undimmed  by  the  smoke  which  hath 
shielded  it  from  the  eyes  of  the  majority  of 
men. 

"Meditating  upon  the  Real  Self — blended 
into  the  Real  Self — seated  firmly  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Real  Self — loving  with  fierce  de- 
votion the  Real  Self — the  wise  are  freed  from 
their  bonds.  Their  eyes  are  cleared  from  the 
smoke  which  filleth  the  eyes  of  men,  blinding 
them;  and  they  pass  into  those  higher  states, 
from  which  none  return  to  these  lower  planes 
of  existence.  Blessed  beyond  measure  are 
such. 

"He  whose  eyes  have  been  freed  from  the 
smoke  of  error  and  illusion,  looks  with  equal 
feeling  and  respect  upon  the  revered,  learned 
and  enlightened  leader  of  men  and  the  veriest 


RENUNCIATION  67 

outcast  among  men.  For,  know  you,  Arjuna, 
that  the  eyes  so  freed  from  illusion  see  the 
Personalities  of  forms  of  life  as  so  unreal 
when  compared  with  the  Real  Self,  that  even 
very  great  worldly  distinctions  disappear 
when  viewed  from  such  a  height.  Those 
whose  minds  are  able  to  dwell  in  this  realiza- 
tion, gain  the  Life  above  Illusion  even  in  this 
life,  for  in  this  realization  is  the  realization 
of  the  Real  Self. 

"Verily  those  who  see  the  Real  Self  ever 
underlying  all  that  seems  to  be— the  only 
Reality  in  the  world  of  apparent  Reality— who 
see  this  and  are  able  to  dwell  in  that  knowl- 
edge, even  as  the  wood  floateth  upon  the 
bosom  of  the  waters— they  refrain  from  over- 
joy on  obtaining  that  which  is  pleasant ;  and 
from  over-sorrow  on  receiving  that  which  is 
unpleasant.  They  have  freed  themselves  from 
attachment  to  these  pairs  of  opposites— these 
fruits  of  action  and  external  objects;  and 
therefore  they  find  inexpressible  joy  in  the 
knowledge  and  consciousness  of  the  Real  Self. 
And,  having  entered  into  this  Real  Conscious- 
ness they  pass  into  the  realm  of  Eternal  Bliss 
and  Peace. 


68  THE  BHAGAVAD   GITA 

'Tor  know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  the  joys  and 
pleasures  of  the  senses — those  so-called  satis- 
factions that  arise  from  external  objects — 
are  verily  the  wombs  of  future  pain.  They 
belong  to  the  world  of  beginnings  and 
endings — and  the  wise  man  taketh  no  delight 
in  such.  He  who,  even  in  this  world  of  senses 
and  sense-objects,  is  so  filled  with  the  strength 
which  proceedeth  from  true  knowledge,  that 
he  is  able  to  bear  with  equanimity  the  urgings 
and  longings  of  the  desire  nature — and  who, 
thus  bearing  them,  is  able  to  hold  them  in 
their  places  with  master  hand — he  hath  gained 
harmony,  and  is  indeed  thrice-blessed. 

"He  who  hath  found  the  Peace  Within,  and 
who  hath  been  so  illumined  that  he  findeth 
his  joy  and  happiness  within  himself — and 
knoweth  that  within  him  is  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven — verily,  he  gaineth  the  Peace  of  the 
Real  Self,  because  he  hath  blended  himself 
with  the  Real  Self.  They,  from  whom  the  il- 
lusion of  duality  and  separation  hath  been 
removed,  see  all  Life  as  One,  and  emanating 
from  One.  The  welfare  of  the  All  becomes 
the  welfare  of  the  One  to  them ;  and  to  such 
cometh  the  Peace  of  the  One.     This   Peace 


RENUNCIATION  69 

which  passeth  all  Understanding,  cometh  to 
those  who  know  themselves  for  what  they  are, 
rather  than  for  what  they  seem  to  the  smoke- 
blinded  eyes  of  the  world.  Being  freed  from 
the  bondage  of  desire  and  sense-passion  they 
master  their  thoughts  by  their  Wisdom — and 
theire  senses  by  their  thoughts. 

''Having  mastered  the  body  by  the  Yogi 
teachings,  so  that  the  same  is  rendered  a  fit 
habitation  for  the  soul,  and  keeping  it  well 
swept  and  in  good  order,  under  the  eye  of  the 
mind — having  senses,  faculties,  mind  and 
understanding  well  controlled  and  in  good 
condition — with  the  eye  of  the  soul  forever 
fixed  upon  Freedom  and  Attainment  of 
Peace — the  Sage  casteth  behind  him  the 
wornout  sheaths  of  desire,  fear,  passion  and 
lust,  and  passeth  into  the  state  of  Freedom 
and  attainment.  Knowing  Me  for  what  I 
am — knowing  that  I  rejoice  in  the  Mastery  of 
Self-Control — knowing  that  I  am  the  Lord  of 
the  Universe,  and  the  true  lover  of  all  souls 
— the  Wise  One  findeth  and  knoweth  Me  in 
my  Peace,  at  the  last." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  V,  OF  THE  BHAGVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "RENUNCIATION." 


PART  VI. 

SELF  MASTERY. 

Then  spake,  again,  Krishna,  the  Blessed 
Lord,  unto  At j una,  the  Prince  of  the  Pandus, 
saying: 

"Hearken  unto  my  words,  O  Prince.  Truly 
say  I  unto  thee,  that  he,  who  performeth  hon- 
orably and  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  such 
Action  as  may  appear  to  him  to  be  plain  and 
righteous  Duty,  remembering  always  that  he 
has  naught  to  do  with  the  reward  or  fruits  of 
the  Action,  is  both  a-  Renouncer  of  Action, 
and  also  a  Performer  of  the  Service  of  Right 
Action.  More  truly  is  he  an  Ascetic  and  Re- 
nouncer than  he  who  merely  refuses  to  per- 
form Actions;  for  the  one  hath  the  spirit  of 
the  doctrine,  while  the  other  hath  grasped 
merely  the  empty  shell  of  form  and  letter. 
Know  thou  such  Intelligent  Right  Action  as 
Renunciation;  and  also  know  that  the  best  of 
Right  Action  without  Intelligent  understand- 
ing of  the  renunciation  of  results  is  not  Right 
Action  at  all. 

70 


SELF    MASTERY  71 

"In  the  earlier  stages  of  the  path,  Right 
Action  is  taught  as  the  most  merit-gaining 
plan;  while  to  the  same  man,  when  he  hath 
attained  Wisdom  and  Understanding  of  the 
Doctrine,  and  hath  also  freed  himself  from 
attachment  even  unto  Right  Action,  then  to 
him  Calm  Meditation  and  Serene  Peace  of 
Mind  is  called  the  better.  To  each  is  given, 
according  to  his  needs  and  stage  of  unfold- 
ment.  When  a  man  frees  himself  from  at- 
tachment to  the  Fruits  of  Action;  Action  it- 
self; or  the  objects  of  the  sense-world — then 
hath  he  reached  the  highest  stage  of  Right 
Action. 

"Let  each  raise  up  his  soul  by  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Real  Self.  And  let  not  the  soul  be 
depressed  nor  cast  down,  for  truly  hath  it  been 
said  that  the  Real  Self  is  the  lover  of  the  soul, 
and  its  true  friend,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  the  ignorant  soul  may  feel  that  the  Real 
Self  is  its  enemy,  inasmuch  as  it  tends  to  an- 
nihilate its  sense  of  separate  personality. 

"The  Real  Self  is  the  friend  of  him  in  whom 
the  Personality  hath  yielded  mastery;  but  to 
him  whose  personality  is  defiant,  the  Real 
Self  appeareth  as  his  bitterest  foe.    Whereas, 


72  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

in  truth,  the  Real  Self  is  seeking  but  to  liber- 
ate the  soul  from  its  own  bondage  of  illusion 
and  error — seeking  to  add  to  its  riches,  rather 
than  to  rob  and  despoil  it  of  things  of  worth. 
Thus,  through  the  smoke  of  illusion  and  er- 
ror, the  True  Friend  is  seen  as  the  Bitter 
Enemy. 

"The  soul  of  him  who  hath  perceived  the 
Real  Self  within  him  is  peaceful  and  calm,  in 
heat  and  cold,  in  pleasure  and  pain,  in  that 
which  the  world  calleth  honor  and  dishonor. 
The  wise  man  is  content  with  the  knowledge 
and  wisdom  which  hath  been  unfolded  to  him, 
as  earth's  rarest  treasures.  His  senses  are 
harmonized  by  Self-Mastery,  and  Wisdom 
hath  taken  the  place  of  Desire. 

"Such  an  one  excelleth  in  wisdom,  to  such 
an  extent  that  he  regardeth  both  friends  and 
enemies,  aliens  and  countrymen,  saints  and 
sinners,  the  righteous  and  unrighteous — with 
equal  love  and  sense  of  brotherhood. 

"The  Yogi  sitteth  in  his  secret  place,  en- 
gaged in  meditation  and  deep  thought.  With 
mind  and  body  mastered  by  the  Real  Self,  he 
is  divorced  from  greed  and  desire  of  reward. 
He  sitteth  in  a  clean  place,  neither  too  high  or 


SELF   MASTERY  73 

too  low;  his  seat  made  of  a  cloth,  a  black 
antelope  skin,  and  kusha  grass,  arranged  as 
his  teachers  have  well  taught  him,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  traditions  of  his  kind.  Sitting 
thus,  he  mastereth  his  mind,  and  directeth  it 
to  one  point  of  concentration — holding  at  the 
same  time  his  senses  and  wandering  thoughts 
firmly  in  hand.  Sitting  thus  steady  and  at 
rest,  he  doth  purify  his  soul  by  directing  his 
consciousness  upon  the  Real  Self — the  Ab- 
solute which  underlieth  all. 

"With  his  body  well  under  control,  accord- 
ing to  the  traditional  customs  of  the  Yogi,  he 
gazeth  undisturbed  into  the  Eternal  and  In- 
finite, seeing  naught  of  the  world  of  sense 
around  him.  Serene,  fearless  and  at  peace 
— firm  in  his  resolve — his  mind,  controlled  and 
harmonized,  is  directed  toward  Me,  to  whom 
he  aspireth.  And,  such  a  Yogi,  thus  united 
with  his  Real  Self,  and  with  mind  thus  con- 
trolled, passeth  into  that  Peace  and  Bliss 
which  is  to  be  found  in  Me  alone. 

"Of  a  truth,  to  him  who  eatheth  like  a  glut- 
ton, or  else  maketh  too  much  of  a  virtue  of 
fasting,  or  who  is  too  much  inclined  to  sleep, 
or  else  who  doth  make  a  virtue  of  abstaining 


74  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

from  sleep,  cometh  not  the  true  Yogi  knowl- 
edge. Such  a  one  inclineth  too  much  toward 
extremes,  and  departeth  from  the  middle  path 
of  temperance.  The  Yogi  knowledge,  which 
destroyeth  pain,  cometh  rather  to  him  who 
observeth  moderation  and  temperance  in  eat- 
ing and  recreation ;  in  action  and  rest — who  in 
fleeing  from  the  evil  of  excess  of  action,  doth 
not  run  into  the  twin  evil  of  the  excess  of 
repression. 

"When  a  man's  thought,  mastered  by  the 
Real  Self,  and  fixed  upon  the  Real  Self,  find- 
eth  itself  free  from  lust  and  desire,  then  in- 
deed hath  that  man  gained  the  inward  har- 
mony which  bringeth  peace  and  satisfaction. 
Then  doth  his  mind  become  stable  and  steady, 
like  the  flame  of  the  lamp  which  resteth  in  the 
place  where  no  wind  cometh  to  disturb  or 
cause  it  to  flicker.  Such  a  mind  delighteth  in 
the  contemplation  of  the  Real  Self,  and  is  well 
content  to  dwell  in  its  peace  and  presence. 
Seeing  the  Real  Self  by  the  aid  of  its  own 
light,  it  realizes  that  it  has  All,  and  is  there- 
fore satisfied. 

'The  Wise  Man  findeth  his  chief  delight  in 
that  which  is  far  above  anything  that  the  mind 


SELF   MASTERY  75 

can  obtain  by  means  of  the  senses — and  hav- 
ing found  it,  resteth  in  its  Reality.  Resting 
there  in  his  new  found  realm,  he  knoweth  well 
that  beyond  it  there  is  no  greater  satisfaction; 
and  being  securely  established  in  it,  the  great- 
est sorrows  and  griefs  of  the  life  of  the  world 
disturb  not  his  peace  or  content,  for  he  hath 
risen  above  them.  This  freedom  from  pain 
and  sorrow,  is  known  by  the  name  of  Yoga, 
which  means  Spiritual  Union.  Gasp  it  well 
to  thee,  O  Prince,  with  firm  resolution  and 
with  confident  expectation. 

"Casting  behind  thee  the  vain  desires  of  the 
imagination ;  and  mastering,  by  enlightened 
mind,  the  inclinations  of  the  senses,  step 
by  step  wilt  thou  attain  tranquility  and  calm, 
by  the  exercise  of  the  Awakened  Mind,  guided 
by  the  Spiritual.  The  mind  once  fixed  upon 
the  Real  Self,  it  is  folly  for  it  to  wander  away 
from  its  Supreme  Object.  But  if  it  doth,  be 
thou  vigilant  to  rein  in  the  unruly  steed,  and 
by  skillful  guidance,  lead  it  steadily  back  to 
where  thou  hast  bidden  it  stand. 

"The  man,  who  hath  attained  this  peace  of 
mind,  who  hath  gained  this  mastery  of  the 
carnal-mind,  hath  departed  from  that  which 


76  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

the  world  calls  sin — hath  escaped  from  error 
— hath  passed  into  the  realm  of  Truth.  Har- 
mony of  mind  and  soul — and  the  Blissful 
State,  is  his.  He  seeth  the  Real  Self  in  All — 
and  All  in  the  Real  Self.  He  seeth  that  One 
is  All,  and  All  is  One.  Verily,  say  I  unto 
thee,  that  he  who  seeth  Me  in  All,  and  All  in 
Ale — him  will  I  never  forsake,  nor  will  I  suf- 
fer him  to  forsake  me.  Forever  shall  I  bind 
him  to  Me,  with  the  golden  fetters  of  Love, 
which  chafe  not  nor  fret  the  soul.  Yea  even 
say  I  that  he  who  realizeth  Me  in  my  Unity, 
and  who  loveth  Me  so,  him  shalt  I  cause  to 
live  forever  within  my  Being,  even  though  he 
appeareth  to  live  separately  in  his  own  mode 
of  life,  even  in  this  world. 

"The  true  Yogi,  O  Arjuna,  is  he  who  know- 
eth  by  what  he  hath  found  within  himself, 
that  there  is  one  underlying  Essence  pervad- 
ing all  life,  and  things ;  and  recognizeth  all 
pain  and  pleasure  as  of  equality  and  sameness 
of  nature.  A  great  Yogi  is  such  a  one,  O 
Prince." 

Arjuna  :  "Alas,  O  Krishna,  I  am  unable  to 
accept  thy  teaching  of  the  steadfastness  of 
the    controlled    mind,    of    which    thou    hatn 


SELF    MASTERY  77 

spoken.  I  know  the  mind  to  be  most  restless, 
unsteady,  turbulent,  strong  and  stubborn,  ob- 
stinate, and  not  yielding  readily  to  the  Will. 
As  well  tell  me  to  curb  and  control  the  wind, 
as  it  bloweth  and  passeth — now  the  gentle 
breeze,  and  now  the  raging  storm — as  to 
master  and  control  with  steady  hand  this  mys- 
terious principle  which  is  called  the  Mind." 

Krishna:  "Well  sayeth  thou,  O  Prince, 
that  the  mind  is  restless  and  as  difficult  to  re- 
strain as  the  winds.  Yet  by  constant  practice, 
discipline  and  care  may  it  be  mastered.  True 
it  is  that  Yoga  is  most  difficult  of  attainment, 
by  a  soul  that  is  uncontrolled  and  that  lack- 
eth  the  touch  of  the  hand  of  the  master.  But, 
nevertheless,  the  soul,  when  it  has  recognized 
the  master-touch  of  the  Real  Self,  may  attain 
unto  true  Yoga  by  care  and  patience,  coupled 
with  firm  resolution  and  determination." 

Arjuna:  "What  fate  befalleth  him,  O 
Krishna,  who  though  being  filled  with  earnest 
faith,  faileth  to  attain  perfection  in  Yoga, 
because  of  his  unmastered  mind  wandering 
away  from  the  path  of  discipline  and  mastery? 
Doth  he,  thus  standing  between  the  merit  of 
Right  Action  on  one  hand,  and  Spiritual  At- 


78  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA 

tainment  on  the  other — lacking  each  support, 
and  yet  gaining  not  the  other — doth  he  like  a 
broken  cloud,  having  severed  its  allegiance, 
and  yet  having  failed  to  gain  a  new  one,  come 
to  nothing  and  melt  away  to  nothingness  ?  Is 
he,  standing  thus  confused  in  the  very  path  of 
the  Absolute,  lost  and  forsaken?  Answer  me 
this  my  question,  O  Krishna,  for  it  doth  sore 
perplex  me,  and  none  other  than  Thee  canst 
rightly  inform  me." 

Krishna:  "Know  thou  then,  Arjuna,  that 
such  a  one  findeth  not  destruction  either  here 
nor  in  the  worlds  to  come.  His  faith  hath 
saved  him  alive — his  goodness  hath  preserved 
him  for  annihiliation.  The  path  of  destruction 
is  never  for  him  who  hath  lived  righteously, 
and  with  faith  reached  out  toward  Me.  The 
man  whose  devotions  and  faith,  attended  by 
good  works,  were  unattended  by  acquirement 
of  the  full  discipline — such  an  one,  I  say,  after 
death,  cometh  to  a  place  of  abode  devoted  to 
the  righteous  who  have  not  as  yet  found  de- 
liverance. Dwelling  there  happily  for  an  im- 
mensity of  years,  the  soul  is  finally  reborn  in 
conditions  and  surroundings  best  adapted  to 


SELF   MASTERY  79 

the  further  attainment  and  unfoldment  that 
await  it. 

"Perhaps,  even,  it  may  be  reborn  in  the  im- 
mediate family  and  company  of  some  learned 
Yogi,  although  such  a  reward  is  bestowed  only 
when  fully  deserved  and  called  for  by  the 
Law.  There,  in  the  new  life,  doth  he  regain 
that  which  he  hath  acquired  in  the  former 
life,  and  is  thus  enabled  to  take  up  the  lesson 
where  it  was  left  off,  and  thereby  advance 
gradually  to  a  more  perfect  mastery. 

"Nothing  once  gained  is  ever  lost  by  death ; 
'.he  essence  of  attainment  is  preserved  and  re- 
bestowed  upon  the  new  born  soul.  His  ear- 
nest reaching  out  for  the  attainment  of  Yoga, 
carrieth  him  even  farther  than  would  the 
mere  study  of  the  Sacred  Writings.  And, 
laboring  with  patience,  perseverance  and  ap- 
plication, freed  from  his  errors,  and  fully 
developed  through  many  rebirths,  he  attain- 
eth  the  goal  he  seeketh,  and  obtaineth  Peace 
and  Mastery. 

"Thus  thou  seest  that  the  faithful  and 
earnest  seeker  after  Truth — he  who  doth  the 
best  he  can  and  ever  trusts  to  the  workings  of 
the  Law, — is  greater  by  far  than  the  fanatics 


80  THE    BHAGAVAD   GITA 

who  seek  merit  by  penance  and  self-torture. 
Yea,  also,  better  even,  than  many  who  call 
themselves  learned,  is  he.  And  more  merit 
hath  he  than  many  of  those  who  seek  merit 
by  good  works.  Therefore,  O  Arjuna,  be- 
come thou  one  who,  with  Faith  and  Love,  let- 
teth  My  love  and  life  flow  through  him.  Of 
all  the  Yogis,  O  Prince,  I  consider  him  the 
most  devoted  whose  heart  is  filled  to  over- 
flowing with  love  for  Me,  and  who  dwelleth  in 
perfect  Faith." 

THUS    ENDETH    PART    VI    OF    THE    BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "SELF  MASTERY/' 


PART  VII. 

SPIRITUAL  DISCERNMENT. 

Then,  further  unto  Arjuna,  spake  Krishna, 
the  Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"Listen  now  to  My  words,  O  Arjuna,  and 
thou  shalt  learn  how,  having  thy  mind  firmly 
fixed  upon  Me,  and  observing  the  Yogi  teach- 
ings, thou  shalt  of  a  verity  know  Me  without 
a  doubt.  I  shall  instruct  thee  in  this  won- 
drous wisdom  and  knowledge,  without  reserve 
or  withholding,  and  when  thou  learnest  this 
teaching,  then  shalt  thou  have  acquired  that 
knowledge  which  leaves  nothing  else  to  be 
known  by  man. 

"But  a  few  men,  among  the  thousands  of 
the  race,  have  sufficient  discernment  to  desire 
to  attain  Perfection.  And  of  this  few,  the 
successful  seekers  are  so  rare,  that  there  is  but 
here  one  and  there  one  who  knoweth  Me  in 
my  essential  nature. 

"In  my  nature  are  to  be  found  the  eightfold 
forms  known  as  earth,  water,  fire,  air,  and 
ether,  together  with  mind,  reason  and  self- 
81 


82  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

consciousness.  But,  besides  these,  I  possess 
a  higher  and  nobler  nature — the  nature  or 
principle  which  supporteth  and  sustaineth  the 
universe.    Know  this  as  the  womb  of  creation. 

''For  I  am  the  Creator  of  the  universe — 
likewise  am  I  the  dissolution  of  the  universe. 
Higher  than  I,  there  is  naught.  All  the  objects 
of  the  universe  depend  upon  M e,  and  are  sus- 
tained by  Me,  even  as  precious  gems  depend 
upon  the  thread  which  passeth  through  them 
holding  all  together  and  sustaining  them. 

"Moisture  in  the  water  am  I,  O  Prince  of 
Pandu — light  of  the  sun  and  moon  am  I,  O 
Prince — the  Sacred  Syllable,  'aum'  in  the 
Vedas  am  I,  O  Companion  in  the  Chariot — 
the  sound-waves  in  the  air ;  the  virility  in 
men;  the  perfume  of  the  earth;  the  glowing 
flame  in  the  fire,  am  I,  O  Warrior  of  the 
Pandus.  Yea,  even  the  very  Life  of  all  living 
things,  am  I,  O  Beloved — and  likewise  the 
very  Yoga  of  the  Yogis. 

"Know  thou,  O  Arjuna,  that  I  am  the  eter- 
nal seed  of  all  nature.  I  am  the  wisdom  of 
the  wise.  I  am  the  glory  of  the  glorious.  I 
am  the  strength  of  the  strong.  I  am  the  love 
of  Right  Action,   in  ftiose  who   follow  the 


SPIRITUAL   DISCERNMENT  83 

teachings  of  Service  through  Right  Action. 
The  three  natures — the  nature  of  harmony, 
the  nature  of  activity,  the  nature  of  inactivity 
— these  are  in  me,  although  I  am  not  in  them. 

"The  world  of  men,  fallen  under  the  illusion 
of  these  three  qualities  or  natures,  under- 
standeth  not  that  I  am  above  these,  standing 
untouched  and  unchanged,  even  amidst  their 
countless  changes  and  happenings.  This  il- 
lusion is  most  dense,  and  difficult  of  penetra- 
tion by  the  eyes  of  men.  But  those  there  be 
who  are  able  to  see  through  the  illusion,  even 
unto  the  light  of  My  flame  which  burns 
brightly  beyond  the  enfolding  garment  of  the 
smoke,  and  such  come  direct  to  Me. 

"But  there  be  many  who  cannot  pierce  the 
envelope  of  the  smoke  of  illusion — such  come 
not  to  Me ;  for  they  knoweth  Me  not ;  but  they 
worship  the  gods  of  the  material  and  sense- 
world,  which  alone  seem  Real  to  them. 

"Among  those  who  worship  Me,  O  Prince, 
are  four  classes.  I  name  them  thus :  the 
Distressed,  the  Seekers  after  Knowledge,  t\\t 
Seekers  after  Worldly  Success,  and  the  Wise 
Ones.  Of  these,  the  Wise  Ones  are  the  best ; 
they  recognize  the  One,  and  live  in  the  world 


84  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

of  the  One,  doing  its  work  with  the  light  of 
knowing.  Such  love  Me  much  indeed;  and 
greatly  loveth  I  them.  Yea,  holdeth  these  as 
Myself,  because  they  have  blended  themselves 
with  me,  and  find  their  lives  in  Me  alone. 

"After  many  lives,  and  with  accumulated 
wisdom,  the  Wise  Ones  come  to  Ale,  knowing 
me  to  be  All.  Such  are  called  Mahatmas, 
and  are  rare  and  difficult  to  find  by  lesser 
men.  And  the  others,  who  are  drawn  away 
through  lack  of  understanding,  to  this  deity, 
or  that  one,  with  varying  rites  and  ceremonies, 
find  other  gods.  They  find  that  which  they 
seek,  according  to  their  natures. 

"But,  knoweth  this,  O  Arjuna — and  note  it 
well,  for  it  is  difficult  of  understanding  among 
those  who  are  bigoted,  fanatical  and  narrow 
of  mind  and  sympathy — the  Truth  is  this : 
that  though  men  worship  many  gods,  and 
images,  and  hold  many  conceptions  of  Deity, 
which  they  reverence  as  objects  of  worship — 
yea,  even  though  these  men  seem  utterly  op- 
posed to  each  other,  and  to  Me — yet  doth  their 
faith  arise  from  a  latent  and  unfolded  faith 
in  Me. 

"Their  faith  in  their  gods  and  images  is  but 


SPIRITUAL   DISCERNMENT  85 

the  dawning  of  faith  in  Me;  in  worshipping 
these  forms  and  conceptions,  they  wish  to 
worship  Me,  although  they  know  it  not.  And, 
verily,  say  I  unto  you,  such  Faith  and  Wor- 
ship, when  honestly  and  conscientiously  held 
and  performed,  shall  not  go  unrewarded  nor 
unaccepted  by  Me.  Such  men  do  the  best  pos- 
sible to  them,  according  to  their  light  of  dawn- 
ing knowledge ;  and  the  benefits  they  seek,  ac- 
cording to  their  faith,  shall  come  to  them,  yea, 
even  from  Me.  Such  is  my  Love,  Under- 
standing and  Justice. 

"But,  remembereth  always  this,  O  Prince, 
that  these  very  rewards  of  finite  desires,  are 
likewise  finite  in  the  nature  of  things.  The 
things  these  men  pray  for,  are  things  of  the 
moment — and  things  of  the  moment  are  given 
them  as  their  reward.  Those  who  worship  the 
lesser  gods — these  distorted  shadows  of  Me — 
pass  into  the  shadow-worlds  ruled  over  by 
these  shadow-gods.  But  those  who  are  wise, 
and  are  able  to  know  Me  as  Myself — the  All 
— the  One — such  come  to  Me  in  My  world  of 
Reality,  where  shadows  are  not,  but  where  all 
is  Real,  even  as  the  Flame  which  casteth  the 
shadow. 


86  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

''There  be  those,  who  lacking  in  Discern- 
ment, think  of  Me  as  being  Manifest  and  visi- 
ble to  their  eyes.  Know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  in 
my  essence  I  am  not  manifest  or  visible  to 
men.  Back  of  my  emanated  forms,  rest  I, 
undiscovered  and  invisible  to  the  ignorant. 
Birthless  and  deathless  am  I — though  the 
smoke-blinded  world  discerneth  this  not,  for 
they  take  the  shadow  for  the  substance.  Full 
well  knoweth  I  the  countless  beings  which 
have  passed  before  my  gaze,  on  the  broad  field 
of  the  universe,  in  the  misty  path.  Likewise, 
knoweth  I  all  who  are  now  present  on  the 
field.  And,  moreover — mighty  mystery  this 
to  men,  O  Prince — I  also  know  all  that  shall 
hereafter  tread  the  field.  But  of  them  all — 
past,  present  and  future — not  one  fully  know- 
eth Me.  I  hold  them  all  in  my  mind,  but  their 
minds  cannot  hold  Me  in  my  essence. 

"Blinded  by  the  pairs  of  opposites,  O  Prince 
their  eyes  filled  with 'the  smoke  of  illusion — 
seeking  instead  of  Unity,  the  opposing  forms 
of  like  and  dislike;  men  walk  in  the  field  of 
the  Universe,  deluded,  all.  Nay,  not  all — for 
there  be  a  few  who  have  freed  ihemselves 
from  the  pair  of  opposites — who  have  dis* 


SPIRITUAL   DISCERNMENT  87 

carded  attachment — who  have  cleared  their 
eyes  of  the  smoke  of  illusion ;  such  as  these,  O 
Prince,  know  Me  to  be  the  One — the  All — and 
hold  to  Me,  steadfast  and  constant,  in  their 
love  and  devotion. 

"They  who  have  thus  found  Me  cling  to 
Me,  even  as  a  babe  clingeth  to  the  breast  of 
the  mother.  They  move  ever  onward  toward 
deliverance  and  attainment — they  know  the 
Real  Self — the  Eternal — the  Infinite — the 
Absolute — the  One — Myself  !  They  know 
My  works.  They  know  My  Wisdom.  They 
know  My  Lordship  of  All  in  All.  They  know 
that  all  Life  is  Mine — that  all  worship  comes 
to  Me.  With  steadfast  minds,  and  hearts 
overflowing  with  love  for  Me,  they  know  Me 
in  life — yea,  even  in  the  hour  of  the  passing 
of  their  souls  from  their  wornout  bodies, 
such  know  Me." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  VII  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "SPIRITUAL 
DISCERNMENT." 


PART  VIII. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  OMNIPRESENCE. 

Yet  again,  spake  Arjuna,  unto  Krishna,  the 
Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"Tell  me,  I  pray  Thee,  O  Krishna,  My  Be- 
loved Teacher,  what  is  the  Universal  Life? 
And  what  is  that  which  we  call  Self-conscious- 
ness ?  And  what  is  the  essential  nature  of  Ac- 
tion? And  what  is  the  constitution  of  the 
Universal  Principles?  And  what  is  that 
knowledge  of  the  Arch-angelic  hosts,  higher 
far  than  that  of  man?  And  what  is  the  secret 
of  Thine  appearance  in  the  body?  Inform  me 
of  all  these  things,  O  Wisest  of  Teachers,  and 
further  tell  me  how  the  Wise  Ones  know  Thee 
at  the  hour  of  death?" 

Krishna:  "I  am  the  All,  from  which  All 
proceedeth.  From  Me  floweth  out  the  Soul  of 
Souls — the  Universal  Life — the  One  Life  of 
the  Universe.  Karma,  which  many  call  the 
essence  of  Action,  is  that  principle  of  my 
emanation  which  causeth  things  to  live,  and 
move  and  act.  The  Universal  Principles,  in 
88 


THE   MYSTERY   OF   OMNIPRESENCE  89 

their  inner  constitution,  are  but  my  Will 
manifested  in  the  Natural  laws  of  the  uni- 
verse. The  knowledge  of  the  Arch-angelic 
hosts  is  the  knowledge  of  the  Spirit.  The 
secret  of  Mine  appearance  in  the  flesh,  belong- 
eth  to  those  who  are  able  to  understand  the 
higher  teachings,  and  is  closely  woven  with 
the  Law  of  Sacrifice. 

"At  the  hour  of  death,  the  Wise  One,  with 
mind  fixed-  upon  me,  goeth  straight  to  Me, 
without  doubt  or  mischance.  But,  he  who  fas- 
teneth  his  desire  upon  aught  else — if  there  be 
to  him  a  greater  god,  material  or  otherwise, 
than  Me — to  that  god  of  materiality,  or  super- 
materiality,  goeth  that  man.  Each  goeth  to 
that  which  is  his  Ruling  Passion,  strong  even 
in  the  hour  of  death.  Therefore,  make  Me 
thy  Ruling  Passion,  even  unto  the  hour  of 
death,  and  then  fight  the  fight  that  is  before 
thee. 

"With  thy  mind  and  understanding  fixed 
firmly  upon  Me,  of  a  certainty  shalt  thou 
come  to  Me.  To  the  Spirit  goeth  he,  who,  set- 
ting aside  all  other  desire,  liveth  the  life  of 
the   Spirit  by  constant   Right   Thinking  and 


90  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Right  Action ;  to  the  Spirit  goeth  he  who  is  of 
the  Spirit. 

"He  who  thinketh,  with  enlightened  mind, 
of  the  Eternal  as  the  All  Wise,  the  All  Power- 
ful, the  infinitely  small,  the  infinitely  large — 
the  underlying  sustainer  of  all — the  invisible 
essence, — the  opposer  of  darkness — with  a 
mind  fixed  steadily  upon  the  task,  and  with 
his  vital  powers  devoted  to  the  one  end — 
passeth  to  the  Spirit  Divine  and  Imperishable. 

"There  is  a  Path  to  Spirit,  which  those  well- 
learned  in  the  Vedas,  (or  Sacred  Writings,) 
call  the  Imperishable. — that  Path  upon  which 
the  strong  men,  who  have  mastered  their 
minds  and  controlled  their  passions,  seek  to 
tread — that  Path  which  is  chosen  by  those 
who  take  the  vow  of  continence,  and  asceti- 
cism, and  godly  study  and  thought.  Listen, 
and  I  will  inform  thee  of  this  Path. 

"Close  tightly  those  gates  of  the  body, 
which  men  call  the  avenues  of  the  senses. 
Concentrate  thy  mind  upon  thine  inner  self. 
Let  thine  T  dwell,  in  full  strength,  within  its 
abode,  not  seeking  to  move  outward.  Stand 
firm,  fortified  by  thy  Yogi  power,  and  repeat 
in  The  Silence,  the  mystic  syllable  'Aum'  (the 


THE   MYSTERY   OF   OMNIPRESENCE  91 

symbol  of  My  Being  as  Creator,  Preserver, 
and  Destroyer,  according  to  the  letters  or 
sounds  thereof).  Then,  faithful  to  this,  when 
thou  quittest  thy  mortal  frame,  with  thy 
thoughts  fixed  upon  Me,  shalt  thou  pass  on  to 
the  Path  of  Supreme  Bliss. 

"He  who  thinketh  constantly  and  fixedly  of 
Me,  O  Prince,  letting  not  his  mind  ever  stray 
toward  another  object,  will  be  able  to  find 
Me  without  overmuch  trouble — yea,  he  will 
find  me,  will  that  devoted  one. 

"Once  having  reached  Me,  those  Wise  Ones 
need  come  not  again  to  earthly  birth — that 
plane  of  pain  and  finitude.  Nay,  indeed,  there 
be  no  need  of  this  for  them,  for  they  have 
passed  beyond  these  lower  planes  and  reached 
the  plane  of  Bliss. 

"The  worlds  and  universes — yea,  even  the 
world  of  Brahm,  a  single  day  of  which  is  like 
unto  a  thousand  Yugas,  (four  billion  years  of 
the  earth,)  and  his  night  as  much — these 
worlds  must  come  and  go,  but,  even  when 
they  pass,  and  pass  again,  the  souls  of  the 
Wise  Ones  who  reach  Me,  return  not. 

"The  days  of  Brahm,  are  succeeded  by  the 
nights  of  Brahm.    In  Brahmic  days  all  things 


92  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

emerge  from  invisibility  and  become  visible. 
And  on  the  coming  of  the  Brahmic  Night,  all 
visible  things  again  melt  into  invisibility.  The 
universe,  having  once  existed,  melteth  away ; 
but  lo !  is  again  re-created.  But  there  existeth 
that  which  is  higher  than  visibility  or  invisi- 
bility, and  such  is  called  the  Unmanifest  and 
Imperishable. 

"On  this  Highest  Path,  then,  O  Prince,  is 
found  the  way  to  that  which  is  Unmanifest 
and  Indestructible,  and  which  when  once 
reached  is  forever  gained,  without  danger  of 
loss.    It  is  My  Supreme  Abode. 

"The  Spirit  may  be  reached  by  those  of  the 
Spirit  alone — those  who  have  no  other  long- 
ing— those  who  have  no  other  gods  to  wor- 
ship. In  this  Spirit  is  enfolded  all  Nature 
and  universes.  From  It  proceedeth  all  things, 
flowing  out  in  accordance  to  My  Will. 

"I  would  tell  thee,  O  Prince,  of  that  time  of 
death,  in  which  men,  passing  out,  shall  never 
return ;  and  of  that  time  of  death,  in  which 
they,  passing  out,  shalt  again  return  to  earth. 
He  who  departeth  in  the  Light  returneth  not 
to  this  plane  of  pain.  But  he  who  departeth  in 
the  Darkness,  returneth  he  to  mortal  re-birth, 


THE   MYSTERY   OF   OMNIPRESENCE  93 

again  and  again,  until  he  findeth  the  Light. 
The  true  Yogi  understandeth  this  saying,  O 
Prince ! 

"Therefore,  perfecteth  thyself  in  Yoga,  O 
Arjuna,  Prince' of  Pandu!  The  fruit  of  this 
knowledge,  Arjuna,  surpasseth  all  the  rewards 
of  virtue,  as  pointed  out  to  the  students  of  the 
Sacred  Writings ;  of  all  worshippings ;  all  sac- 
rifices ;  all  austerities ;  all  alms-giving,  even 
great  though  these  be.  The  Yogi,  learned  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  Truth,  passeth  beyond 
these,  and  taketh  precedence  to  those  who  fol- 
low them;  he  reacheth  the  Supreme  Goal. 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  VIII,  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  THE  "MYSTERY 
OF  OMNIPRESENCE." 


PART  IX. 

THE  KINGLY  KNOWLEDGE. 

Then  spake  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  unto 
Prince  Arjuna,  saying : 

"And,  now  giveth  I  to  thee,  O  Arjuna,  thou 
faithful  and  trusting  one,  the  final  and  su- 
preme knowledge — the  wisdom  royal — whose 
secret,  when  once  known  to  thee,  O  Prince, 
shalt  set  thee  free  from  evil  and  misfortune. 
This  is  the  true  Kingly  Science — Royal  Secret 
— Imperial  Purifier — most  easy  of  intuitional 
comprehension  to  such  as  thou  art — not  dif- 
ficult of  performance — and  imperishable  and 
never-failing.  Those  who  possess  not  this 
knowledge  fail  to  find  Me,  and  therefore  re- 
turn again  and  again  to  this  world  of  birth 
and  death. 

"This  universe,  in  its  parts,  and  in  its  en- 
tirety, is  an  emanation  of  Me,  and  I  fill  it  in 
my  invisible  form — yea,  even  I,  the  Unmani- 
fest.  All  things  are  of  Me — not  I  of  them. 
But,  mistake  thou  not,  O  Prince,  lest  thou  in 
error  think  that  even  All  Things  are  Myself. 
94 


THE    KINGLY   KNOWLEDGE  95 

I  am  the  sustainer  of  all  things,  but  All 
Things  are  not  I.  Knoweth  thou  that  even  as 
the  vast  volume  of  Air,  everywhere  present, 
and  in  constant  activity,  is  sustained  and  con- 
tained within  the  Universal  Ether — so  do  all 
manifested  things  rest  in  Me,  the  Unmanifest. 
This  is  the  Secret,  O  Arjuna;  ponder  well 
upon  it.  At  the  end  of  a  Kalpa — a  day  of 
Brahm — a  period  of  creative  activity — I  with- 
draw into  my  nature  all  things  and  beings. 
And,  at  the  beginning  of  another  Kalpa,  I 
emanate  all  things  and  beings,  and  re-perform 
my  creative  act.  Throughout  Nature,  which 
?oo  is  mine  own,  I  emanate,  again  and  again, 
all  these  things  that  constitute  the  universe, 
r>y  the  power  of  this  Nature,  which  by  itself 
is  without  power. 

"But  I  am  not  bound  or  entangled  in  these 
works,  O  Prince,  for  I  sit  on  high,  unattached 
and  unbound  by  actions.  I  super-impose  my 
power  upon  nature,  and  she  builds  up  and 
tears  down — producing  the  animate  and  the 
inanimate ;  and  thus  the  universal  action  pro- 
ceeds and  operates. 

"The  unenlightened,  seeing  Me  in  human 
form,  and  being  ignorant  of  My  true  nature 


96  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

as  Supreme  Lord  of  All,  disregard  me,  and 
hold  me  in  but  small  esteem.  Such  hold  to 
vain  hopes  and  petty  actions;  they  lack  wis- 
dom, and  live  on  the  lower  planes  of  their 
being,  the  evil,  brutal  and  deceitful  nature 
being  their  highest  development. 

"But  the  Wise  Ones,  they  who  have  un- 
folded their  higher  natures,  know  Me  to  be 
the  Infinite  and  Eternal  Origin  of  All  Things, 
and  they  worship  Me  with  single-mind. 
Always  realizing  My  Power,  such  worship  Me 
continually,  firm  in  their  faith,  and  earnest  in 
their  devotion,  being  not  diverted  or  tempted 
toward  other  worship  or  devotion.  Others  see 
Me  in  various  forms  and  aspects,  and  thus 
worship  Me  in  various  ways.  Both  as  the 
One  and  as  the  Many  am  I  worshipped. 

"Yea,  in  all  worship  am  I.  Yea,  verily,  in- 
deed, I  am  the  worship ;  I  am  the  sacrifice ;  I 
am  the  libation  offered  the  souls  of  the  ances- 
tors ;  I  am  the  sacrificial  spices ;  I  am  the 
prayers  and  invocation ;  I  am  the  mantram;  I 
am  the  burnt  offering  and  the  butter  sacrificed 
to  the  gods ;  I  am  the  fire  that  consumes  the 
offering;  I  am  that  which  is  consumed  by 
the  fire.     Yea,  also  am  I  the  Father  of  the 


THE    KINGLY    KNOWLEDGE  97 

universe — and  likewise  the  Mother.  I  am  the 
Preserver.  I  am  the  Holy  One  whom  all  seek 
to  know.  I  am  the  mystic  word  'Aum.'  I  am 
the  three  sacred  books  or  Vedas— the  Rik, 
Samur  and  Yajur. 

"Even  so,  am  I  the  Path;  the  Comforter; 
the  Creator ;  the  Witness ;  the  Resting  Place ; 
the  Place  of  Refuge;  and  the  Friend  of  All. 
I  am  the  Origin  and  the  End — the  Creation 
and  the  Destruction — the  Store-house — the 
Eternal  Seed.  I  am  the  Sunshine — I  am  the 
Rain.  I  now  press  out,  and  I  now  draw  in. 
I  am  Death,  and  yet  am  I  Immortality.  I  am 
Being  and  yet  am  I  Non-Being.  I  am  the 
One  beyond  both. 

"Those  learned  in  the  three  Vedas,  offering 
many  sacrifices,  drinking  the  sacred  Soma 
juice  at  the  end  of  the  sacrifice,  and  thus  seek- 
ing purification,  according  to  the  ancient  rites 
— in  reality  pray  to  Me  beseeching  me  to  point 
out  the  Way  to  Heaven.  And  thus  gain  they 
their  desired  Heavenly  Realm,  and  partake 
of  the  celestial  foods,  and  enter  into  the 
divine  enjoyments. 

"But,  when  they  have  partaken  of  the  heav- 
enly feasts,  and  the  divine  enjoyments,  and 


98  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

have  entered  into  the  pleasures  of  that  vast 
Heaven-world,  and  have  thus  exhausted  the 
reward  for  their  good  deeds,  virtues,  and  wor- 
ship— then  are  they  carried  back  by  the  Law, 
to  re-birth  in  this  plane  of  sorrow  which  we 
call  the  earth.  They  have  followed  the  finite 
and  transitory  road,  and  have  received  the 
finite  and  transitory  reward.  Following  the 
precepts  of  the  Vedas,  and  becoming  good  wor- 
shippers and  observers  of  forms,  they  come 
to  desire  these  rewards — and  their  desires 
blossom  into  the  fruit  of  realization,  each  ac- 
cording to  its  kind.  Transitory  and  finite  de- 
sires blossom  into  finite  rewards 

"But,  he  who  holdeth  Me  constantly  in 
mind  and  serveth  no  other  will  be  brought 
through  safely;  for  him  /  perform  the  sacri- 
fice and  ceremonies.     He  is  mine  own ! 

"But,  again,  remember,  O  Prince,  that  even 
those  who  worship  other  gods,  worship  Me, 
though  they  realize  it  not.  If  they  be  full  of 
love  and  faith,  I  accept  it  as  intended  for  Me, 
and  give  to  such  their  reward  according  to 
their  merit  and  desires.  But  although  all  such 
worship  Me,  and  are  rewarded  accordingly, 
yet  because  of  their  lack  of  knowledge  of  Me 


THE    KINGLY   KNOWLEDGE  99 

in  my  Essence,  they  must  in  due  time  relin- 
quish Heaven,  and  return  again  to  earth  in 
re-birth. 

"Each  goeth  to  that  which  he  worshipeth, 
according  to  his  degree  of  spiritual  compre- 
hension. Those  who  worship  personal  gods, 
or  angels,  go  to  dwell  with  personal  gods  and 
angels ;  those  who  worship  ancestors,  go  to 
dwell  with  the  ancestors;  those  who  worship 
spirits,  go  to  the  land  of  spirits.  And  those 
who  worship  Me,  in  my  Essence,  come  to 
dwell  with  Me  in  my  Essence. 

"But  know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  I  despise  not 
the  worship  of  the  humble  and  simple  folk, 
who  in  their  loving  worship  present  Me  with 
leaves,  flowers,  fruits  and  water.  I  say  unto 
thee  that  I  accept  and  enjoy  such  offerings 
from  these,  my  children ;  in  the  spirit  of  the 
gift  do  I  accept  it.  All  sacrifices  I  accepteth, 
even  in  the  spirit  of  the  offering,  not  in  the 
value  of  the  gift.  Therefore,  whatever  thou 
dost,  O  Prince,  whether  it  be  eating,  giving, 
sacrificing,  or  performance  of  ceremonies  or 
rites — do  these  things  in  earnest  offering  to. 
Me.  And  offering  up  to  Me  all  thy  works, 
thou  shalt  be  delivered,  and  set  free  from  the 


100  THE    BHAGAVAD    GITA 

bonds  of  action  and  the  consequences  thereof. 
Thy  mind  thus  having  become  evenly  balanced 
and  harmonized,  to  me  shalt  thou  come  at  the 
appointed  time. 

"I  see  My  children  of  the  world — all  living 
beings — with  an  equal  eye,  and  without  par- 
tiality. There  is  none  more  dear  to  me  than 
another,  nor  less  dear.  None  do  I  love  more, 
or  hate  more,  than  any  other  one.  Those  who 
worship  me  with  devotion,  verily  they  findeth 
for  themselves  the  road  to  my  heart,  and  I  am 
in  them,  and  they  in  Me.  If  one  who  is  most 
evil  turneth  to  Me  with  undivided  heart,  he 
hath  started  toward  Me  on  the  Path  of  Right- 
eousness. And,  if  he  persisteth  in  his  right- 
eous resolve,  O  Arjuna,  he  cannot  escape  be- 
coming virtuous,  and  he  shall  obtain  the 
Peace,  even  as  shall  the  pious  man. 

"Know  for  a  certainty,  O  Arjuna,  that  he 
who  is  my  faithful  servant  perishes  not.  All 
who  seek  sanctuary  in  Me,  O  Prince  of  Pan- 
du — even  those  born  of  the  womb  of  sin ;  and 
those  whom  the  priests  tell  us  are  beyond  the 
pale — yea,  even  such  shall  tread  the  highest 
paths,  if  they  but  place  their  hopes  and  faith 
upon  Me.    And  if  this  be  so,  O  Prince,  how 


THE    KINGLY   KNOWLEDGE  101 

certain  is  the  salvation  of  the  holy  men,  and 
learned  souls. 

'Then,  regard  this  earth  as  but  a  finite  and 
transitory  abode,  and  know  and  worship  Me, 
Fix  upon  Me,  without  distraction  thine  earnest 
mind,  and  thou  shalt  come  unto  me — yea,  shalt 
thou  be  blended  into  Me  and  thus  reach  the 
Supreme  Goal." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  IX  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  KINGLY 
KNOWLEDGE/' 


PART  X. 

UNIVERSAL    PERFECTION. 

Then,  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  unto  Ar> 
juna,  Prince  of  the  Pandus,  in  these  words, 
spoke  further: 

"Hearken  to  my  words,  Thou  Strong- 
armed  One  of  Pandu,  while  I  inform  thee  of 
My  supreme  teachings,  desiring  thy  welfare. 
For  know  thou  that  thou  art  beloved  of  Me, 
O  Arjuna. 

"Knoweth  thou  that  neither  the  angels,  nor 
gods,  nor  great  spirits,  nor  adepts,  nor  others 
high  in  knowledge,  know  aught  of  my  Begin- 
ning; for  even  before  angels  and  gods  and 
great  spirits  or  adepts  was  I,  yea,  even  am  I 
their  Beginning.  He,  who,  in  his  wisdom, 
knoweth  Me  to  be  birthless  and  beginningless 
— eternal — without  commencement — the  Su- 
preme Lord  of  all  that  came  afterward  from 
Ale — he,  being  free  from  illusion  and  error, 
shall  be  free  from  the  consequences  of  sin. 

"Know  thou  those  things  that  are 
named:  Reason,  Knowledge,  Wisdom, 
102 


UNIVERSAL  PERFECTION         103 

Patience;  Truth;  Forgiveness;  Self-mastery; 
Calmness;  Pleasure  and  Pain;  Birth  and 
Death ;  Courage  and  Fear ;  Mercy ;  Joy ; 
Charity;  Earnestness;  Fame  and  Infamy;  all 
these  various  qualities  of  Personalities  flow 
forth  from  Me.  Even  so  came  the  seven 
great  Sages ;  and  the  four  original  Beings,  or 
Manus;  all  emanated  from  my  Mind — and 
from  these  sprang  the  race  which  people  the 
world.  He  who  knoweth  this  truth  regarding 
My  sovereignty  and  essential  super-universal- 
ity, is,  without  doubt,  endowed  with  the 
spring  or  unerring  and  intelligent  faith  and 
devotion. 

"I  am  the  Emanator  of  all  this — all  things 
flow  from  me.  Knowing  this  as  the  Truth, 
the  Wise  Ones  revere  and  worship  Me  with 
rapt  souls.  With  Me  ever  in  mind,  and  with 
Me  ever  occupying  the  sacred  chamber  of 
their  hearts,  they  are  filled  with  a  secret  joy 
and  calm  content.  And  from  within  the 
minds  and  hearts  of  such,  I  constantly  illumi- 
nate and  inspire  them,  so  that  they  are  a  con- 
stant source  of  inspiration  to  each  other,  and 
their  inward  lights  combine  to  shine  forth  to 
the  world  of  darkness  and  ignorance.  To  such 


104.  THE    BHAGAVAD    GITA 

as  these,  of  even  mind  and  faith,  I  give  Dis- 
crimination and  Spiritual  Insight,  and  they 
unfold  unto  Spiritual  Consciousness,  by 
which  they  know  and  come  unto  Me. 

"From  My  great  love  for  these,  my  faithful 
ones,  I  shine  forth  from  within  them,  in  the 
light  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  dark  places  of 
ignorance,  which  existed  in  their  minds,  are 
thus  made  light  and  shining  with  Wisdom." 

Arjuna:  "Verily  art  thou  the  Supreme 
Lord — Parabrahm — beyond  even  great  Brahm 
art  Thou.  The  gods,  sages,  angels,  and  wise 
souls,  acknowledge  Thee  to  be  the  Supreme 
Abode,  the  Supreme  Eternal  One,  the  Infinite 
Pure  One,  the  Absolute  Being,  Omnipotent, 
Omnipresent,  Omniscient — and  now  hath 
Thou  likewise  proclaimed  the  Truth  of  these 
sayings  to  me.  And  verily  do  I  believe  Thee, 
in  full  and  without  reserve,  O  Blessed  Lord 
of  All.  Thy  present  incarnate  manifestation 
— that  mighty  mystery  of  thy  presence  in 
earthly  form — is  understood  not,  even  by  the 
gods,  and  angels,  and  mighty  souls  of  all  the 
worlds.  Only  thyself,  understandest  Thyself. 
Thou  Fount  of  Life ;  Thou  Supreme  Lord  of 
All  the  Universe  of  Universes ;  God  of  gods ; 


UNIVERSAL  PERFECTION        105 

Master  and  Ruler  of  All  that  is,  has  been,  or 
ever  will  be — without  Beginning  and  without 
End-— without  Limits  on  any  side — this  and 
infinitely  more  art  Thou,  O  Blessed  One ! 

"I,  thine  unworthy  pupil,  pray  thee  to  con- 
descend to  inform  me  by  what  wondrous 
power  hast  Thou  pervaded  all  the  universe, 
and  yet  remained  Thyself?  How  shalt  I, 
although  constantly  worshipping  Thee,  ever 
come  to  know  Thee?  How  shalt  I  think  of 
Thee — how  shalt  Thou  be  meditated  upon  O 
Lord,  when  I  knoweth  not  Thy  proper  form? 
Tell  me,  fully,  I  pray  Thee,  of  Thy  powers 
and  forms  of  manifestation — of  Thy  distinc- 
tions and  glorious  condescensions.  For, 
verily,  do  I  thirst  for  such  knowledge,  even 
as  one  thirsteth  for  the  living  waters — for 
Thy  words  are  to  me  like  the  clear  waters 
which  quench  the  thirst  of  him  to  whom 
water  hath  been  denied  for  many  days.  Give 
me  the  blessing  of  thy  words,  O  Lord  I" 

Krishna:  "My  Blessings  and  Peace  to 
thee,  O  Beloved  Prince !  I  will  acquaint  thee 
with  the  chief  of  my  divine  distinctions,  and 
manifestations — this   must   suffice,   for   know 


106  THE    1HAGAVAD    GITA 

thou  that  my  essen  ial  nature  and  being  is 
infinite. 

"I,  O  Prince,  am  th.  Spirit  which  is  well- 
seated  in  the  consciousne^  of  all  beings,  the 
reflection  of  which  they  eacn  know  as  'I'  or 
the  Ego.  I  am  the  Beginning,  the  Middle,  and 
also  the  Ending,  of  all  things.  Ax^ong  the 
Sun-gods,  I  am  the  Supreme  Creator.  Ain^ng 
the  shining  suns,  I  am  the  Supreme  Sun. 
I  am  the  Supreme  Mover  of  the  Winds. 
Among  the  stars,  I  am  the  Moon  which  out- 
shines them.  Among  the  Vedas,  or  sacred 
books,  I  am  the  Highest  Book,  or  Book  of 
Song.  I  am  the  Super-god.  I  am  the  Mind, 
I  am  the  Life. 

"Among  the  attributes  of  fate,  I  am  Fate. 
Among  the  genii  of  good  fortune  and  bad 
fortune,  I  am  Fortune.  Among  the  Original 
I  am  the  Original  Being.  Among  the  teach- 
ers, I  am  the  Teacher  of  the  Divine  Teach- 
ers. Among  the  generals,  I  am  the  Leader  of 
the  Celestial  Armies.  Among  the  bodies  of 
waters,  I  am  the  Ocean.  Among  the  Wise 
Ones,  I  am  Wisdom.  Among  the  words,  I 
am  the  sacred  syllable  Aum.  Among  wor- 
shipers, I  am  the  Name  of  God.    Among  the 


UNIVERSAL  PERFECTION        107 

hills,  I  am  the  Himalayas.  I  am  the  Sage  of 
Sages.     I  am  the  Saint. 

"Among  the  horses,  I  am  the  Mighty  Horse 
who  arose  with  the  Amrita  from  the  ocean. 
Among  men,  I  am  the  Emperor  of  Emperors. 
Among  weapons,  I  am  the  Divine  Thunder- 
bolt. Among  lovers,  I  am  Love.  Among  ser- 
pents, I  am  the  Eternal  Serpent,  the  joined 
ends  of  which  are  a  symbol  of  the  beginning- 
less  and  endless  ring  of  eternity.  Among  the 
creatures  of  the  deep,  I  am  the  God  of  the 
Ocean.  I  am  the  Judge  of  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment.    I  am  Spirit. 

"I  am  Eternity.  Among  the  beasts,  I  am 
the  Lion.  Among  the  birds,  I  am  Vainateya, 
the  bird  of  the  fabulous  stories,  whose  wings 
extend  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
Among  purifiers,  I  am  the  Pure  Air.  Among 
those  who  carry  arms,  I  am  the  Lord  of 
Arms.  Among  the  fishes,  I  am  Makara,  the 
mighty  fish  of  the  legends.  Among  rivers,  I 
am  the  Sacred  Ganges.  Of  changeful  things, 
I  am  the  Beginning,  the  Middle,  and  the  End. 
I  am  Absolute  Knowledge. 

"And,  also,  am  I  the  never-failing  Preser- 
ver, whose  gaze  is  turned  in  all  directions,  and 


108  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

who  allows  none  to  perish.  And,  also  am  I 
Death,  from  whose  visits  none  are  exempt. 
And,  likewise,  am  I  the  Re-birth,  which  dis- 
solves Death.  I  am  Fame ;  Fortune ;  Elo- 
quence ;  Memory ;  Understanding ;  Fortitude  ; 
and  Patience.  Among  hymns,  I  am  the 
Hymn  of  Hymns,  or  Brihat  Sama.  And 
among  harmonious  metres,  I  am  the  Gaya- 
tree,  or  most  harmonious.  Among  the  sea- 
sons, I  am  the  Season  of  Flowers.  The 
Splendor  of  splendid  things,  am  I.  And  Vic- 
tory am  I ;  and  Earnestness ;  and  Determina- 
tion; and  the  Truth  of  the  truthful. 

"I  am  the  Head  of  the  great  clans  and 
families.  I  am  the  Sage  of  the  sages;  the 
Poet  of  the  poets ;  the  Bard  of  bards ;  Seer  of 
seers ;  Prophet  of  prophets.  To  rulers  of 
men,  I  am  the  Sceptre  of  Power.  Among 
statesmen  and  those  who  seek  to  conquer,  I 
am  Statescraft  and  Policy.  Among  the  secre- 
tive I  am  Silence.     I  am  Wisdom. 

"In  short,  and  most  briefly  stated,  O  Prince, 
I  am  That  which  is  the  essential  principle  in 
the  seed  of  all  beings  and  things  in  nature; 
and  everything  whether  animate  or  inanimate 
is  infilled  with  me — without  Me  nothing  could 


UNIVERSAL  PERFECTION        109 

exist  for  even  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  O 
Prince. 

'There  is  no  end  to  my  manifestations,  O 
Arjuna — my  powers  are  infinite  in  quality  and 
variety.  Every  being  or  thing  that  can  be 
known  is  the  product  of  an  infinitesimal 
portion  of  my  power  and  glory.  Those  which 
I  have  mentioned  are  but  trifling  examples  of 
the  same.  Whatever  is  known  to  thee  as 
existing,  know  that  as  being  a  tiny  manifesta- 
tion of  my  infinite  power  and  glory. 

"But  why  concern  thyself  with  all  this 
knowledge,  and  all  these  instances?  Know 
thou,  Arjuna,  that  I  manifested  all  this  Uni- 
verse with  but  an  infinitesimal  fragment  of 
Myself — and  still  I  remain,  its  Lord,  unat- 
tached and  apart,  although  pervading  all!' 

THUS    ENDETH     PART    X    OF    THE    BHAGAVAD 
GITA,     WHICH     PART     IS     CALLED 
PERFECTION." 


PART  XL 

THE   UNIVERSAL   MANIFESTATION. 

Then  spake  Arjuna,  unto  the  Blessed  Lord, 
Krishna,   saying: 

"Thou  hast  removed  my  illusion  and 
ignorance,  by  thy  words  of  Wisdom,  regard- 
ing the  Supreme  Mystery  of  the  Spirit,  which 
thou  hast  spoken  unto  me  out  of  Thy  great 
love  and  compassion.  From  thee  have  I 
learned  the  full  truth  regarding  the  creation 
and  destruction  of  all  things ;  and  also  con- 
cerning Thy  greatness  and  all-embracing  im- 
manence. Thou  art  indeed  the  Lord  of  All, 
even  as  thou  describeth  Thyself.  But,  one 
final  token  of  Thy  love  for  me,  I  beg  of  Thee, 
O  Lord  and  Master.  I  would,  if  such  be  pos- 
sible for  me,  that  Thou  showeth  unto  me 
Thine  own  Countenance  and  Form — the  Im- 
perishable Spirit." 

Krishna  :  "Since  thou  asketh  me  for  this, 
O  Arjuna,  even  shalt  it  be  granted  thee.  Be- 
hold then,  O  Prince,  my  millions  of  forms  di- 
vine, of  all  shapes  and  forms,  species,  colors 
110 


THE   UNIVERSAL    MANIFESTATION         111 

and  kinds.  Behold  thou  first  the  numberless 
heavenly  hosts  and  celestial  beings — angels; 
arch-angels ;  planetary  gods ;  rulers  of  uni- 
verses ;  and  many  other  wonderful  and  mighty 
beings  scarce  dreamt  of  in  thy  wildest  specu- 
lations and  fancies,  O  Arjuna. 

"Then  behold  as  a  Unity,  standing  within 
My  body,  the  whole  Universe,  animate  and 
inanimate,  and  all  things  else  that  thy  mind 
impelleth  thee  to  see.  Exercise  thy  fullest 
desires  and  hopes,  and  even  thine  imagination, 
and  lo!  all  that  thou  hast  desired,  or  hoped 
for,  or  even  imagineth,  that  shalt  thou  see 
within  Me.  But  not  with  thine  natural 
human  eye  see  these  things,  O  Arjuna,  for 
they  are  finite  and  imperfect.  But  now  I  en- 
dow thee  with  the  Eye  of  the  Spirit  with 
which  thou  mayest  see  the  glorious  sight 
awaiting  thee." 

Then,  having  thus  spoken,  Krishna,  the 
Blessed  Lord  of  Lords,  showed  himself  to 
Arjuna  in  the  aspect  of  the  Supreme  and 
Absolute,  through  Its  manifestations.  And 
this  aspect  showed  itself  as  Many  within  the 
One.  The  Many  had  millions  of  eyes  and 
mouths;  many  wonderful  appearances;  many 


112  THE    BHAGAVAD    GITA 

forms  of  upraised  weapons ;  many  forms  of 
clothing  and  array,  jewels  and  vestments. 
The  Face  of  faces  was  turned  everywhere, 
and  in  all  directions.  The  glory  and  radiance 
of  a  million  suns  would  pale  into  insignifi- 
cance before  that  vision  of  the  Mighty  Face. 

Then  saw  Arjuna  the  Universe  separated 
into  its  manifold  parts  and  varieties,  as  One 
within  the  body  of  Krishna,  the  Lord  of  All. 
And  the  Prince  of  the  Pandus,  was  overcome 
with  awe  and  wonder,  and  each  hair  upon  his 
head  extended  itself  erect,  like  unto  the  blades 
of  grass  in  the  field.  Then  with  hands  joined 
together,  in  the  attitude  of  reverence  and  de- 
votion, he  bowed  his  head  before  the  Lord, 
saying : 

"O  Mighty  Lord,  within  Thy  form  I  seeth 
the  lesser  gods  and  arch-angels,  and  angels, 
and  all  the  heavenly  hosts  of  greater  and  les- 
ser degree.  Within  Thee  I  see  even  Brahma, 
the  Creator,  sitting  on  his  lotus  throne,  sur- 
rounded by  the  revered  Sages  and  the  Wise 
Ones.  And,  on  all  sides,  in  infinite  variety, 
I  see  the  countless  forms  of  all  living  beings. 
With  millions  of  arms,  eyes,  and  bodies,  ap- 


THE   UNIVERSAL    MANIFESTATION         113 

peareth  Thou  to  me,  but  even  so  I  fail  to  dis- 
cover Thy  beginning,  middle  or  end. 

"I  see  Thee  with  crown  of  Universal  Glory, 
armed  with  the  Universal  weapons  of  mighty 
power.  And  darting  from  Thee,  on  all  sides, 
I  see  wondrous  beams  of  effulgent  radiance 
and  glorious  brilliancy.  Difficult  indeed  is  it 
to  see  Thee  at  all,  for  the  light,  like  unto  the 
rays  of  a  million-million  suns,  multiplied  and 
magnified  a  million-million  times,  dazzleth 
even  the  divine  eye  with  which  thou  hast 
endowed  me.  Verily,  indeed,  art  Thou  the 
Supreme  Lord — ever  immanent — containing 
all  that  is;  or  can  be  thought  of  or  known. 
Thou  art  indeed  the  Preserver  and  Supporter 
of  the  Universe.  Thou  art  indeed  the  Fount 
of  Wisdom !  Thou  art  indeed  the  Ancient  of 
Days,  and  the  Beginningless  One!  Spirit  of 
Spirit,  art  Thou!  Yea,  Thou  art  The  AB- 
SOLUTE ! 

"Without  beginning,  middle,  or.  ending — 
with  infinite  arms — with  infinite  power — with 
eyes  like  unto  the  sun — with  radiance  flowing 
from  Thee  and  filling  the  entire  universe — 
thus  I  behold  Thee.  The  heavens  and  the 
earth,  and  all  the  space  that  is  between  and 


114  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

around  them  is  rilled  by  Thee  alone,  and 
every  point  and  corner  containeth  Thee !  The 
Three  Worlds  behold  thy  Awful  Countenance 
with  awe  and  bewilderment. 

"Flying  to  Thee  for  refuge  and  haven,  seeth 
I  pouring  in  the  wondrous  bands  of  the 
heavenly  hosts,  with  joined  palms  and  rev- 
erent attitude.  Cometh  all  the  heavenly  hosts 
of  celestial  beings,  whom  men  call  by  the 
many  names  of  Mararshis;  Siddhas;  Rudras; 
Adityas;  Vasus;  Vishvas;  Ashvvis;  Kumars; 
Maruts;  Ushmapas;  Gandharvas;  Yakshas; 
Asuras,  and  all  the  other  hosts  of  the  celestial 
and  heavenly  worlds,  regions  and  planes ;  all 
pouring  into  Thee  as  the  rivers  into  the  ocean 
— all  gazing  upon  Thy  Being  with  wonder  and 
amazement ! 

"I  seeth  the  many  worlds  standing  awe- 
struck and  amazed  at  the  sight  of  Thy  won- 
drous manifestations. 

"I  see  Thee  touching  the  very  heavens,  and 
shining  forth  with  glorious  radiance,  of  all 
hues,  shades  and  colors.  My  resolution  fail- 
eth  me,  and  I  am  without  calm  and  peace. 
I  see  Thy  awful  countenance  appearing  as 
dreadful  as  Eternity.    And  then  would  I  fly 


THE   UNIVERSAL   MANIFESTATION         115 

from  Thee,  but  nowhere  can  I  go  where  I  can 
escape  the  sight  of  Thy  awful  presence — no- 
where is  there  a  Place  outside  of  the  AIL 
Have  mercy  upon  me  then,  O  Lord  and  All, 
Thou  harborer  of  the  Universe ! 

''Ah,  now,  seeth  I  the  sons  of  Dhritarashtra, 
the  Kuru  Princes,  and  with  them  the  thou- 
sand others  of  earthly  kings  and  rulers.  With 
them  come  Bhishma  and  Drona,  and  the 
mighty  warriors  of  the  hosts.  O,  horror  of 
horrors !  even  as  I  gazeth  upon  them,  I  see 
the  battlehosts  rushing  into  Thy  gaping,  fiery 
mouths  and  frightful  rows  of  teeth!  Yea, 
many  are  caught  between  Thy  teeth,  and  are 
mangled  and  ground  to  a  pulp. 

"Even  as  the  floods  from  swollen  streams 
pour  tumultuously  into  the  sea,  so  pour  and 
rush  these  living  streams  of  warriors  into 
Thy  flaming  mouths,  with  much  haste,  as  if 
seeking  their  own  destruction.  Yea,  even  as 
the  evening  moths,  in  great  number,  fly  with 
quickening  speed,  and  find  their  destruction 
in  the  bright  flame,  so  do  these  generals, 
chiefs  and  warriors  pour  into  Thy  flaming 
mouths,  and  are  consumed  and  reduced  unto 
dust  and  powder. 


116  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

"I  see  Thee,  with  thy  blazing  mouths, 
drawing  in,  devouring,  swallowing  and  con- 
suming all  mankind,  on  all  sides,  and  without 
limit,  while  thy  fiery  beams  shine  forth  with 
dreadful  force  filling  the  Universe.  Verily, 
Thou  consumeth  the  worlds,  O  Krishna,  Lord 
of  All!  Prostrate  before  Thee  I  fall,  and 
with  joined  palms  I  pray  to  Thee,  O  Lord! 
But  even  as  I  pray  in  awe  of  Thee — yet  do  I 
beg  of  Thee  to  inform  me  what  is  this  that  I 
see  in  Thee?  Where  and  what  are  Thou,  in 
thine  Own  Aspect?" 

Krishna  :  "Thou  seest  me  as  Time,  fully 
matured  and  complete — the  Destroyer  of 
Mankind — who  cometh  hither  to  seize  and 
consume  all  those  who  stand  before  Me. 
Knoweth  thou,  that  excepting  thyself  who 
shall  be  saved,  not  one  of  these  many  war- 
riors ranged  here  in  battle  array,  confront- 
ing each  other  with  fierce  resolve — yea,  not 
even  one  else  shall  escape  Me. 

"Wherefore  arise  and  fight  thy  fight !  Play 
well  thy  part  as  warrior  and  chief !  Win  for 
thyself  the  renown  and  fame  of  battle !  Con- 
quer thy  foes !  Enter  into  and  enjoy  the  con- 
quered   kingdom !     For    know    that,   by    me, 


THE   UNIVERSAL   MANIFESTATION         117 

already  art  they  overcome  and  conquered — 
thou  art  only  mine  immediate  agent — the  in- 
strument to  execute  the  decree  of  that  which 
men  call  Fate.  Then  do  thou  slay  Drona,  and 
Bhishma,  and  Jayadratha,  and  Kama,  and  all 
the  other  warriors  of  the  field,  for  they  are  al- 
ready killed  by  Me  in  Destiny  and  Law.  Fight 
then  without  fear  or  holding  back,  and  thou 
shalt  destroy  thy  rivals  and  enemies  of  the 
opposing  hosts!     Fight,  Arjuna — Fight!" 

Then  Arjuna,  the  Pandu  Prince,  having 
heard  these  words  of  Krishna,  the  Blessed 
Lord,  fell  prostrate  before  the  Lord,  with 
joined  palms,  and  with  devout  demeanor. 
And  addressing  the  Lord,  in  broken  acents 
spake  he  thus : 

"O  Krishna,  Krishna — Blessed  Lord — the 
universe  rejoiceth  and  is  filled  with  thy  power 
and  glory !  The  evil  spirits  flee  in  terror  from 
thy  sight — and  the  hosts  of  the  Holy  Ones 
sing  thy  praises,  and  adore  Thee  with  awe  and 
wonder !  And  wherefore,  O  Lord,  should  not 
all  mighty  beings  bow  before  thee  in  adoration 
and  awe-struck  humility,  for  art  Thou. not  the 
Being  of  Beings — the  Mighty  of  the  Mighty — 
the  Brahm  of  Brahma^- the  Supreme  Creator 


118  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

— the  Eternal  God  of  Gods — the  World  con- 
taining the  worlds  ?  Being  and  No-Being  art 
Thou,  and  even  That  which  lieth  back  of  both. 
Thou  art  the  Infinite,  Eternal  Absolute  !  Thou 
art  the  Supporter  of  All !  Thou  art  the  Spirit 
of  the  Spirit !  Thou  art  All  Wisdom  known, 
and  all  Wisdom  possessing — Wisdom  Absolute 
art  Thou !  Thou  art  the  dwelling-place  of  uni- 
verses— and  by  Thee  was  the  universe  eman- 
ated and  spread  out !  Vaya,  the  god  of  wind 
— Agni  the  god  of  fire — Varuna  the  god  of 
oceans — Sashanka  the  moon — Prajapati  the 
god  of  nations — Prapitamaha  the  common  an- 
cestor of  the  race — all  •  these  art  Thou,  O 
Krishna,  my  Lord  and  Love — Reverence 
a  thousand  times  multiplied  and  magni- 
fied be  unto  Thee.  Reverence  to  Thee  a  mil- 
lion-million times  repeated.  Again  and  again 
a  million-million  times,  be  this  repeated  rev- 
erence be  Thine,  O  Infinite  One!  On  all 
sides  of  Thee,  reverence  and  worship!  Be- 
fore and  behind  Thee,  reverence !  O  Omnipo- 
tent, Omnipresent,  Omniscient  One,  who  art 
All  in  All!  Infinite  is  thy  Glory!  Thou  in- 
cludeth   within   Thyself   All   Things — where- 


THE   UNIVERSAL   MANIFESTATION         119 

fore  art  Thou  All  Things,  and  more  than  All 
Things ! 

"Alas,  alas !  in  my  ignorance,  O  Lord,  and 
regarding  thee  merely  as  my  friend,  I  have 
called  Thee  with  familiarity,  saying:  'O 
Krishna;  O  Friend!'  and  other  names  of  fa- 
miliar intercourse.  Thus  did  I  address  Thee, 
in  my  ignorant  love  and  esteem  and  brotherly 
feeling.  Unknowing  of  Thy  real  nature  and 
greatness  was  I,  hence  my  error — hence  my 
great  presumption.  And,  Thou,  even  Thou 
hath  been  treated  by  me  with  irreverence  and 
undue  familiarity,  even  at  play  and  at  sports ; 
in  public  upon  many  and  various  occasions — 
for  all  of  which,  O  Being  Absolute  and  In- 
finite, I  humbly  beg  thy  forgiveness  and  par- 
don. 

"Thou  art  the  Parent  of  the  animate  and 
inanimate!  Thou  art  the  Wise  Instructor  of 
all  who  seek  wisdom  !  Thou  art  the  One  alone 
worthy  to  be  adored !  Thou  art  the  One  like 
whom  there  is  none !  Yea,  in  all  the  three 
worlds  there  is  none  like  unto  Thee!  Where- 
fore, bow  down  to  the  very  earth,  myself 
do  I,  and  crave  thy  forgiving  mercy  and  com- 
passion.     Lord,    Lord,    Krishna,    My    Lord! 


120  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

Adorable  Lord !  bear  with  me  even  as  a 
father  beareth  with  his  son;  a  friend  with  a 
friend ;  a  lover  with  his  beloved — so  bear  with 
me,  O  Lord! 

"Most  favored  am  I  in  being  shown  that 
which  no  man  hath  ever  yet  seen — and  most 
happy  am  I  to  have  been  so  favored,  and  to 
have  witnessed  these  things,  O  Lord ;  yea,  even 
when  I  remembereth  that  which  I  have  seen, 
my  heart  beateth  strongly,  and  my  breath  com- 
eth  and  goeth  rapidly^  so  overwhelmed  doth 
my  mind  become.  And,  yet,  even  from  my 
awe  doth  my  words  spring,  when  I  beg  of 
Thee  still  another  gift ;  I  beseech  Thee  to 
show  me  Thyself  in  Thy  Celestial  Form.  As- 
sume then,  O  Thousand  armed  One — Univer- 
sal Former  of  Form — assume  Thou  then,  I 
pray  Thee,  Thy  familiar  shape  in  which  I 
have  seen  Thee  countless  times,  and  upon 
which  I  can  look  without  so  great  fear." 

Krishna:  "Arjuna,  out  of  my  love  and 
affection  for  thee,  hath  I  shown  thee,  by  my 
divine  power,  this  my  supreme  forms  as  the 
Universe,  in  all  its  splendid  glory,  eternal  and 
infinite.  None  other  than  thyself  hath  ever 
seen  this  sight.     For  know  you  this,  that  no 


THE   UNIVERSAL   MANIFESTATION         121 

such  sight  can  be  obtained  as  a  reward,  even 
by  the  study  of  the  Vedas;  or  by  sacrifice ;  or 
by  great  learning;  or  by  charity  and  alms- 
giving ;  or  by  good  deeds ;  or  by  penance  and 
self-denial.  Not  even  these  things,  great  as 
they  may  be  and  are,  can  win  for  a  reward  this 
vision  and  sight  of  Me  which  hath  been 
granted  unto  thee,  alone  in  all  the  three  worlds. 
Having,  witnessing  these  things — beheld  My 
form,  so  awful  to  thee — be  not  dismayed,  nor 
confounded  or  confused  in  thy  faculties. 
When  thy  mind  hath  been  quieted  in  its  fears, 
and  peace  and  calmness  again  cometh  to  thee, 
then  mayest  thou  again  behold  My  wondrous 
form !" 

Then  Krishna,  the  blessed  Lord,  having 
thus  reassured  Arjuna,  resumed  his  milder  and 
less  terrible  shape  and  consoled  Arjuna' s  ter- 
rified mind.  And,  thus  reassured  and  com- 
forted, and  his  fears  having  departed,  Arjuna 
spake  to  Krishna,  saying: 

"Beholding  again  thy  less  terrible  shape,  O 
Lord,  I  am  again  myself  and  in  calmer  frame 
of  mind  and  less  disturbed." 

Krishna:  "Yea,  O  Arjuna,  hast  thou  be- 
held my  wondrous  form,  which  even  the  gods 


122  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

and  arch-angels  and  the  higher  heavenly  host 
ever  long  with  earnest  craving  to  witness  and 
behold.  But  such  can  see  me  not,  as  thou  hast 
seen  me.  Nay  not  even  through  the  Vedas, 
nor  by  self-denial,  nor  by  gifts  of  charity,  nor 
by  sacrifices.  But  by  supreme  devotion  to  Me 
alone,  may  I  thus  be  perceived,  O  Prince,  and 
he  who  thus  perceiveth  men  and  knoweth  Me, 
verily  he  entereth  into  my  essence  and  is  en- 
folded by  Me.  He  who  doeth  actions  for  Me 
alone — whose  Supreme  Good  I  am — My  true 
devotee,  freed  from  attachment  to  all  but  Me 
— regardless  of  consequences — free  from 
hatred  of  any  being  or  thing  whatsoever — 
verily  I  say  he  cometh  unto  Me,  O  Arjuna; 
he  cometh  unto  Me." 

THUS  EXDETH  PART  XI  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  UNIVERSAL 
MANIFESTATION/' 


PART  XII. 

THE   YOGA  OF  DEVOTION. 

Once  again,  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord, 
spake  to  Arjuna,  saying: 

"Tell  me,  O  Lord,  which  of  those  who  wor- 
ship and  serve  thee,  with  earnest  minds  well- 
mastered,  as  Thou  hath  just  mentioned  to 
me — which  of  such  serve  Thee  most  worthily 
and  best?  Which  are  on  the  best  path,  those 
who  worship  Thee  as  God  in  thy  revealed 
form,  on  the  one  hand ;  or  those  who  worship 
Thee  as  The  Absolute — The  Unmanifest — 
The  Infinite — on  the  other  hand?  Which  of 
these  two  classes  of  Yogis  are  more  deeply 
versed  in  Yoga?" 

Krishna:  "Those,  who  have  concentrated 
their  minds  fixedly  upon  me  as  God,  and  who 
serve  Me  with  unwavering  zeal  and  impreg- 
nable and  steady  faith — are  regarded  by  Me 
as  being  most  devoted.  But,  also,  those  who 
worship  Me  as  The  Absolute;  The  Infinite; 
The  Unmanifest;  The  Omnipresent,  Omnipo- 
tent, Omniscient;  The  Unknowable;  The  Un- 
123 


124  THE    BHAGAVAD   GITA 

thinkable;  The  Ineffable;  The  Invisible;  The 
Eternal ;  The  Immutable ;  The  All ;  or  as  that 
to  which  similar  terms  attempting  to  express 
similar  conceptions  of  Being  are  applied — such 
so  worshipping,  and  mastering  the  mind  and 
senses,  and  regarding  all  things  in  nature  as 
good  and  deserving  to  fare  well,  and  rejoicing 
in  the  welfare  of  all,  equally — verily,  these 
also  cometh  unto  Me. 

"The  path  of  those  who  are  attracted  by  Me 
as  the  Absolute  and  Unmanifest  is  much 
harder  to  travel  than  is  that  of  those  who  wor- 
ship Me  as  God  manifest,  and  having  form. 
This  Absolute  conception  is  most  difficult  of 
realization  to  the  finite  mind  of  man.  It  is 
most  difficult  for  the  visible  to  realize  the  in- 
visible— the  finite,  the  infinite — the  possessor 
of  qualities  and  attributes,  that  which  hath 
neither  but  yet  is  above  both. 

"And,  this  also,  say  I  to  thee,  O  Arjuna,  that 
those  also  who,  fixing  their  minds  solely 
upon  me,  and  seeing  in  Me  the  Actor  of  ac- 
tions, worship  Me  single-mindedly  without 
fear  or  hope  of  reward,  them  too  shall  I  raise 
up  from  the  ocean  of  change  and  mortality. 

"Place  thy  mind  firmly  upon  Me,  O  Prince, 


THE   YOGA   OF  DEVOTION  125 

and  let  thine  understanding  penetrate  into  My 
being,  and  then,  of  a  truth,  shalt  thou  enter 
into  Me,  hereafter.  But  if  thou  art  not  able 
to  hold  thy  mind  firmly  fixed  upon  Me,  Ar- 
juna,  then  seek  to  reach  Me  by  the  path  of 
Practice  and  Discipline.  And  if  even  by 
Practice  and  Discipline  thou  art  still  unable  to 
attain,  then  shalt  thou  seek  me  by  the  path  of 
Service  through  Right  Action.  For  by  the 
performance  of  Right  Actions,  solely  for  My 
sake,  shalt  thou  then  attain  perfection. 

"And,  if  even  this  last  task  shall  be  beyond 
thy  powers,  then  shalt  thou  follow  the  path  of 
Renunciation,  and  putting  thy  trust  earnestly 
upon  Me,  renounce  thou  the  fruit  of  every 
action. 

"Better,  truly,  is  Wisdom  and  Knowledge 
than  Practice  and  Discipline ;  and  Meditation 
is  still  better  than  even  Knowledge ;  and  Re- 
nunciation is  better  than  Meditation,  for 
Renunciation  of  the  fruits  of  action  bringeth 
peace  and  satisfaction. 

"Verily,  I  say  unto  Thee,  that  he  is  vei> 
dear  and  near  to  Me,  who  harboreth  no  malice 
or  ill-will  to  any  being  or  thing;  who  is  the 
friend  and  lover  of  all  Nature,  who  is  mer^r* 


126  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

ful,  free  from  pride  and  vanity  and  selfishness ; 
who  is  undisturbed  by  pleasure  or  pain,  being 
balanced  in  each ;  who  is  patient  under  wrongs 
and  injustice  and  who  is  forgiving,  contented, 
ever  devout,  with  mind,  senses  and  passions 
ever  under  control,  and  whose  mind  and  un- 
derstanding is  ever  fixed  upon  Me. 

"He,  also,  is  dear  to  Me,  who  neither  fears 
the  world  of  men,  nor  is  feared  by  it ;  and  who 
is  delivered  from  the  turbulence  of  anger, 
joy,  impatience,  or  fear,  regarding  finite  things 
or  happenings. 

"And  he  who  desireth  nothing;  who  is  just 
and  pure ;  impartial ;  free  from  anxieties ;  and 
who  hath  abandoned  all  finite  rewards  or 
hopes  of  rewards,  is  also  dear  to  me.  Like- 
wise he  who  loveth  not,  nor  hateth  not ;  who 
neither  rejoiceth  nor  findeth  fault  with  world 
happenings ;  who  grieveth  not  nor  coveteth ; 
who  hath  renounced  both  good  and  evil  for 
sake  of  Me. 

"And  dear  to  Me,  also,  is  he  who  regardeth 
equally  both  friend  and  foe;  who  sees  repute 
and  disrepute  as  one  to  the  wise  mind ;  who 
knows  cold  and  heat,  and  pain  and  pleasure, 
to  be  not  one  more  desirable  than  the  other. 


THE   YOGA   OF  DEVOTION  127 

Such  a  one  also  regardeth  not  solicitously  the 
passing  of  events ;  and  to  him  praise  and  con- 
demnation are  the  same.  He  is  silent  and  well 
satisfied  with  whatsoever  befall  him  or  come 
to  pass  in  the  world ;  and  he  hath  no  particu- 
lar place  of  abode  in  the  world,  but  feeleth  at 
home  everywhere  in  Me.  He,  of  whom  I 
have  just  spoken,  is  of  a  steady  and  equable 
mind,  and  devotion  is  ever  manifested  by  him 
— he  verily  loveth  Me,  and  I  him.  He  is  very 
dear  to  Me. 

"Yea,  yea,  they  who  imbibe  this  Water  of 
Immortality — this  Divine  Nectar — of  the 
teaching,  as  given  by  me  to  thee,  O  Arjuna, 
and  receive  it  with  faith  and  devotion,  verily, 
are  such  dear  and  exceedingly  beloved  by  Me/' 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XII  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GIT  A,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  THE  "YOGA  OF 
DEVOTION." 


PART  XIII. 

THE  KNOWER  AND  THE  KNOWN. 

Then  spake  Arjuna  unto  Krishna,  the 
Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

'Tray  inform  me,  Blessed  Lord,  concern- 
ing that  which  we  call  the  Personal  Self,  and 
that  great  Something  beyond  and  above  this, 
which  we  call  the  'I,'  or  'Ego,'  or  perchance, 
the  'Soul/  which  knows.  Tell  me  of  this 
Knower  and  also  of  the  Known,  or  which  is 
seemingly  Known." 

Krishna:  'That  which  thou  calleth  thy 
Personal  Self,  Arjuna,  is  called  by  philoso- 
phers, 'The  Known.'  That  which  thou  calleth 
the  T,'  the  'Ego/  or  the  'Soul/  is  called  by  the 
philosophers  'the  Knower.'  And  remember 
this,  O  Prince,  that  I  am  the  Knower  of  the 
Known  in  whatever  form  it  may  appear  and 
manifest.  This  understanding  of  the  Knower 
and  the  Known  is  esteemed  by  Me  as  Wisdom 
worthy  of  attainment. 

"Now,  listen  to  My  words,  while  I  inform 
thee  of  the  nature  of  the  Known;  what  it 
128 


THE  KNOWER  AND  THE  KNOWN    129 

resembleth;  what  are  its  various  parts;  from 
what  it  proceedeth;  and  also  what  is  That 
which  Knoweth  the  Known,  and  what  are  Its 
characteristics.  Briefly  will  I  state  it — that 
which  has  been  sung  by  the  Sages  in  various 
chants;  and  which  appeareth  in  manifold 
verses  of  the  sacred  writings,  with  many 
reasonings,  arguments  and  proofs. 

"The  Personal  Self  is  made  up  of  the  five 
Mahabuta,  or  Principles,  known  as  follows, 
by  the  teachers :  Ahankara,  or  the  Conscious- 
ness of  Personality;  Buddhi,  or  Understand- 
ing or  Intellect;  Avyaktam,  the  unseen  Vital 
Force;  the  eleven  Indriyas,  or  sense-centers; 
and  the  five  Indriya-gochar,  or  sense-organs; 
then  cometh  Ichha  and  Dwesha,  or  Love  and 
Hatred;  Sukha  and  Dukha,  or  Pleasure  and 
Pain ;  Chetana,  or  Sensibility ;  and  Dhrita,  or 
Firmness.  These,  Arjuna,  constitute  the  Per- 
sonal Self — the  Known — and  its  characteris- 
tics. 

"Spiritual  Wisdom  consists  in  freedom 
from  Self-esteem  or  Hypocrisy,  or  Injury  to 
Others.  It  inculcates  Patience ;  Rectitude ;  Re- 
spect for  Teachers  and  Masters;  Chastity; 
Steadfastness;    Self-control;    Freedom    from 


130  THE    BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Sense-attachments;  Freedom  from  Pride  and 
Vainglory  in  the  Personal  Self;  It  brings  a 
constant  realization  of  the  true  nature  of  Birth 
and  Death;  Sickness  and  Decay;  Pain  and 
Imperfection.  It  also  brings  with  it  the  loosen- 
ing of  the  bonds  of  attachment  in  the  personal 
relation  between  the  possessor  of  Wisdom  and 
his  wife,  children  and  home.  It  brings  a  con- 
stant equanimity  and  balance  of  mind  and 
temper,  notwithstanding  the  nature  of  the 
passing  or  occurring  event,  or  whether  it  be 
desired  or  non-desirable. 

''Such  Wisdom  also  brings  to  its  possessor 
a  desire  for  unfailing,  and  unrelaxing  worship 
and  devotion : — worship  in  private  places  and 
secluded  spots ;  and  a  corresponding  distaste 
for  crowds  of  men.  Likewise  bringeth  it  a 
love  of  the  Spirit  which  pervadeth  all  things ; 
and  the  meditation  upon  the  nature  of  Wis- 
dom, and  the  goal  awaiting  its  possessor,  or 
traveller  upon  its  path.  This  is  what  is  called 
by  philosophers,  Dnyana,  or  Knowledge,  as 
contrasted  with  Adnyana,  or  Ignorance. 

"Now,  will  I  inform  thee  what  is  called 
Dneya,  or  the  Object  of  Wisdom,  for  the  right 
knowledge  and  understanding  of  which  thou 


THE  KNOWER  AND  THE  KNOWN    131 

shalt  enjoy  Immortality.  This  Object  of 
Wisdom  is  that  which  the  teachers  and  philoso- 
phers call  Brahma,  or  Universal  Life.  The 
Universal  Life  hath  no  beginning,  and  can  be 
called  neither  Being  nor  yet  Non-Being.  In 
the  midst  of  the  world  it  dwelleth,  and  en- 
velopeth  all  the  universe  even  to  its  utmost 
ends.  In  itself  free  from  every  organ  and 
sense,  yet  doth  it  manifest  through  every  or- 
gan and  sense  in  all  the  universe.  Unattached 
and  free,  it  containeth  all  things  within  its 
nature — and  free  from  qualities  or  attributes, 
yet  doth  it  partake  of  the  knowledge  of  all 
qualities  and  attributes.  Within  and  yet  with- 
out— inside  and  outside — it  is.  And  inanimate 
and  animate  is  it — movable  and  non-movable, 
in  and  throughout  all  Nature.  It  is  infinite  in 
its  minuteness,  and  is  therefore  invisible  and 
imperceptible.  And  yet  although  most  near, 
yet  it  is  also  afar  off.  Undivided  is  it  in  its 
nature,  and  yet  infinite  in  its  apparent  division. 
"It  is  the  womb  of  all  things — from  it  pro- 
ceedeth  creation  and  destruction.  It  is  the 
source  of  Light — beyond  all  darkness  is  it.  It 
is  Wisdom — also  that  which  is  the  object  of 
Wisdom — and  also  that  which  is  to  be  ob- 


132  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

tained  by  Wisdom.  In  the  minds  and  hearts 
of  all,  it  dwelleth  always. 

"This  then  is  what  is  known  as  Kshetra  or 
the  Personal  Self;  Dnyna,  or  Wisdom;  and 
Dneya,  or  the  Object  of  Wisdom.  Thus  hath 
been  told  thee  the  secret  of  the  Substance  of 
Life,  and  its  distribution  and  moulding.  The 
Wise  One,  thus  knowing,  entereth  into  Me. 

"Know  also,  Arjuna,  that  Prakriti,  or 
Nature,  and  also  Purusha,  the  Soul,  are  both 
without  beginning.  Knoweth  thou,  also,  O 
Prince,  that  the  Principles  of  Nature  are  in- 
herent in  Nature,  and  from  her  they  flow  out. 
Nature  is  that  which,  produceth  what  we  call 
Cause  and  Effect,  or  Causation ;  it  is  the 
Source  of  Action. 

"Knoweth  thou  also,  Arjuna,  that  Soul, 
seated  in  Nature,  or  in  Nature's  Matter,  re- 
ceiveth  the  impressions  which  proceed  from 
Material  Life.  It  is  the  Principle  which  is 
operative  in  the  experiences  of  Pleasure  and 
Pain.  The  consequences  of  these  impressions 
and  experiences  and  the  attachment  thereto, 
on  the  part  of  the  personal  manifestation  of 
Soul,  is  the  cause  of  birth  and  rebirth.  The 
incidents  and  circumstances  of  reincarnation 


THE  KNOWER  AND  THE  KNOWN    133 

arise  therefrom,  and  persist  until  the  higher 
Wisdom  is  gained,  which  overcometh  the 
qualities  that  bind  the  soul  to  the  things  and 
objects  of  the  material  world.  The  Soul  is 
that  superior  nature  of  one,  which,  dwelling 
in  the  body,  doth  observe,  direct,  protect  and 
partake  of  Life. 

"He  who  thus  comprehendeth  Prakriti,  or 
Nature ;  Purusha,  or  Soul ;  and  the  Gunas,  or 
Principles  of  Nature,  even  as  I  have  spoken 
of  them  to  thee,  Arjuna,  though  he  may  be 
living  in  any  state  or  condition  or  manner — 
he  shall  not  be  again  subject  to  mortal  birth. 

"Some  men,  by  means  of  meditation,  behold 
the  Universal  Soul  within  Nature — the  Soul 
within  the  Body.  Others  attain  the  perception 
by  means  of  Renunciation  of  Action.  And 
others,  still,  by  the  Service  of  Right  Action. 
Others  there  be  who  have  not  discovered  this 
truth  of  themselves,  and  in  themselves;  but 
have  heard  the  doctrine  and  teachings  from 
others,  and  thereafter  heed  the  same  and  re- 
spect it  and  attend  unto  it.  Yea,  I  say  unto 
you,  O  Arjuna,  that  even  these  last,  if  they 
manifest  earnest  faith  and  attention,  and  ob- 
serve the  truth  thus  obtained  by  them — even 


134  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

they  shall  lay  the  foundations  of  Immortality, 
and  pass  beyond  the  Gulf  of  Death. 

"Knoweth  thou,  O  Prince  of  Pandu,  that 
every  thing  that  is  created,  be  it  animate  or 
inanimate,  is  produced  by  the  combination  of 
Soul  and  Nature — the  Knower  and  the  Known. 
He  who  seeth  the  Universal  Soul  immanent  in 
all  things — imperishable,  although  in  all  per- 
ishable things — verily,  indeed  such  a  one  truly 
seeth.  Seeing  the  same  Universal  Soul  imma- 
nent in  all  things,  he  avoideth  the  error  of 
identifying  the  Self  with  the  lower  principles, 
and  thus  he  is  released  from  the  illusion  of 
mortality,  and  goes  forward  on  the  road  to 
immortality. 

"He  who  sees  that  his  actions  are  really  per- 
formed by  Nature,  and  Nature's  principles, 
and  that  the  Soul  is  not  to  be  entangled  there- 
in— he  sees  indeed.  When  he  perceiveth  that 
all  the  various  forms  of  Nature's  manifesta- 
tions are  really  rooted  in  the  One  Life,  and 
from  thence  are  spread  forth  in  their  branches, 
limbs,  twigs,  and  leaves  of  infinite  variety — 
then  he  passeth  into  a  consciousness  of  the 
One  Life. 

'The  Spirit,  O  Prince — the  Spirit  of  the 


THE  KNOWER  AND  THE  KNOWN    135 

Universal  Soul — even  when  it  is  within  one  of 
Nature's  bodily  forms,  never  really  acts  nor 
is  really  affected.  Because  of  its  essential 
nature,  it  is  above  and  beyond  action.  And 
being  without  beginning,  and  without  qualities 
or  attributes,  it  is  beyond  the  storm  of  action 
and  change.  The  Universal  Ether  is  not  af- 
fected by  the  action  of  objects  within  it  and 
within  which  it  is.  And  even  so  is  the  Uni- 
versal  Soul,  in  which  are  all  material  forms^ 
and  which  is  within  all  material  forms — so  is 
it  unaffected  by  the  action  and  changes  of 
those  forms,  although  it  knows  them  all,  as  the 
Knower  of  the  Known. 

"Even  as  doth  the  single  Sun  illuminate  the 
whole  world,  O  Arjuna,  so  doth  the  One  Soul 
illumine  the  whole  of  Nature — the  One 
Knower,  the  whole  Field  of  the  Known. 

"And  he  who  by  the  power  of  Spiritual 
Wisdom  doth  perceive  this  difference  between 
the  Soul  and  the  Material  and  Personal  Self; 
between  the  Soul  and  Nature  and  Nature's 
Principles — between  the  Knower  and  the 
Known — verily  he  perceiveth  the  liberation  of 
the  Soul  from  the  illusion  of  Matter  and  Per- 
sonality, and  he  passeth  to  the  Spiritual  Con- 


186  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

sciousness,  in  which  all  is  seen  as  One  Reality,, 
without  Illusion  or  Error." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XIII  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  KN0WER 
AND   THE  KNOWN." 


PART  XIV. 

THE  THREE  GUNAS  OR  QUALITIES. 

Then  spake  unto  Arjuna,  the  Prince  of  the 
Pandus,  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"Draw  near,  Arjuna,  and  I  will  further  in- 
form you  in  the  Supreme  Wisdom — that  Wis- 
dom of  all  Wisdom  the  best — that  Wisdom  by 
which  the  Wise  Ones  mounted  unto  the  heights 
of  Supreme  Attainment  and  perfection.  And, 
such,  having  become  blended  into  Me,  by  rea- 
son of  this  Wisdom,  they  are  not  again  re- 
born, even  in  the  creation  of  a  new  universe  at 
the  beginning  of  a  Day  of  Brahm,  nor  are  they 
blotted  out  upon  the  dissolution  of  the  uni- 
verse, at  the  beginning  of  a  Night  of  Brahm. 

"Know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  Nature  is  the 
Great  Womb  in  which  I  place  my  seed — from 
this  proceedeth  all  natural  forms,  shapes, 
things,  and  objects.  Nature  is  the  Great 
Womb  of  all  those  things  which  are  conceived 
in  the  natural  womb,  and  I  am  the  Father 
whose  Seed  is  within  the  seed  of  all  natural 
things. 

137 


188  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA 

"The  three  great  Gunas,  or  Principles  of 
Nature,  oft  times  called  the  Three  Qualities, 
and  which  are  inherent  in,  and  which  spring 
from  Nature,  are  known  by  these  names,  O 
Prince ;  Salivas,  or  Truth ;  Rajas,  or  Passion ; 
and  Tamas,  or  Indifference — these  be  the 
Three.  And  each,  and  all,  tend  to  bind  the 
Soul  within  the  Body — the  Universal  Soul 
within  Nature.  As  Above  so  Below,  the 
Three  serve  to  bind  and  hold  the  higher  to  the 
lower.  But  the  binding  differeth  in  its  nature, 
O  Prince,  though  all  are  bonds.  Thus  Sattvas, 
or  Truth,  being  pure  and  stainless,  bindeth  the 
sould  by  attachment  to  Wisdom  and  Harmony, 
and  bringeth  it  back  to -re-birth  because  of  the 
bonds  of  Knowledge  and  Understanding. 
And,  Rajas,  or  Passion,  is  of  the  nature  of 
burning  Desire,  and  doth  bind  the  soul  by  at- 
tachment to  Action,  and  Things  and  Objects, 
and  doth  bring  it  back  to  re-birth  because  of 
the  bonds  of  Worldly  Hunger  and  Thirst  for 
Having  and  Doing.  And  Tamas,  or  Indiffer- 
ence, is  of  an  ignorant,  dark,  stupid  and  heavy 
nature,  and  bindeth  the  soul  by  attachment  to 
Sloth,  and  Idleness,  and  Folly  and  Indolence, 
bringing  it  back  to  re-birth  because  of  the 


THE   THREE   GUNAS   OR  QUALITIES       139 

bonds  of  Ignorance,   Stupidity,  Heedlessness 
and  Low-Content. 

'To  Sattvas  Guna,  pertaineth  Wisdom  and 
Harmony;  to  Rajas  Guna  pertaineth  Action 
and  Possessions;  and  to  Tamos  Guna  per- 
taineth Sloth,  Stupidity  and  Indolence.  When 
one  overcometh  the  Tamas  and  the  Rajas, 
then  the  Sattvas  reigneth.  When  the  Rajas 
and  Sattvas  are  overcome,  then  reigneth  the 
Tamas.  When  the  Tamas  and  Sattvas  have 
been  overcome,  then  reigneth  the  Rajas. 
'  "When  Wisdom  is  manifest  in  one,  then 
know  that  the  Sattvas  is  the  ruling  Guna. 
When  great  Action  is  manifest,  or  great  De- 
sire is  apparent,  then  know  you  that  Rajas  is 
the  Guna  ruling.  When  Stupidity,  Sloth,  Idle- 
ness and  Lack  of  Thought  is  manifest,  then 
know  thou  truly  that  Tamas  Guna  is  on  the 
throne. 

"When  the  soul  forsakes  the  body  in  which 
the  Sattvas  ruleth,  then  does  it  proceed  to  the 
plane  inhabited  by  the  Wise  and  Intelligent. 
When  it  leaves  the  body  in  which  the  Rajas 
hath  been  the  strongest,  then  doth  it  pass  to 
the  plane  of  rest,  from  whence  in  time  it  is 
reborn  again  in  a  body  adapted  to  the  mani- 


140  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

festation  of  action,  and  possessed  of  a  ten- 
dency toward  Desires,  and  among  people  and 
enivronment  adapted  to  and  in  harmony  with 
these  qualities.  When  it  leaves  the  body  in 
which  the  Tamas  hath  been  in  the  ascendent, 
then  doth  it  pass  to  re-birth  in  a  body,  and 
among  those  in  harmony  with  its  low  plane 
of  manifestation. 

''The  fruit  of  Sattvas  is  called  good;  the 
fruit  of  Rajas  is  called  pain  and  dissatisfac- 
tion and  unrest.  The  fruit  of  Tamas  is  called 
Ignorance  and  Stupidity  and  Inertia.  From 
Sattvas  is  produced  Wisdom ;  from  Rajas,  Un- 
rest and  Covetousness ;  from  Tamas,  Ig- 
norance, Delusion  and  Foolishness,  together 
with  Sloth.  Those  of  the  Sattvas  Guna,  are 
raised  up  on  high;  those  of  the  Rajas  Guna 
reach  no  higher  than  the  middle  plane,  which 
is  the  plane  of  Man's  world  activities  and  life ; 
while  those  of  the  Tamas  Guna  are  borne 
down  by  the  heavy  weight  of  their  quality  and 
sink  down  far  below. 

"Say  I  unto  thee,  O  Prince,  that  those  who 
see  that  the  only  agents  of  action  are  these 
very   Ganas,  the  Principles   of  Nature — and 


THE   THREE   GUNAS   OR  QUALITIES       141 

also  discover  that  there  is  a  Being  superior  to 
them — know  the  true  nature  of  the  Soul  and 
enter  into  Me. 

"And  when  an  embodied  soul  hath  passed 
beyond  these  three  Qualities,  which  are  in  the 
Nature  of  all  embodiment — and  hath  learned 
of  the  consciousness  beyond  them — then  is 
that  soul  delivered  from  the  bonds,  and  is 
freed  from  Birth  and  Death;  Old  Age  and 
Pain;  and  drinketh  of  the  Nectar  of  Immor- 
tality."   N 

Arjuna:  "What  are  the  distinguishing 
characteristics  of  the  man  who  hath  passed 
beyond  the  Three  Gunas,  or  Qualities?  How 
acteth  he  ?  And  by  what  means  hath  he  over- 
come and  passed  beyond  the  Three? 

Krishna:  "Hearken  to  my  words,  O 
Prince !  He  doth  not  hate  these  qualities,  Wis- 
dom, Energy  and  Ignorance,  when  they  come 
to  him — nor  yet  longeth  after  them  when  they 
are  not  with  him ;  but  unattached  to  either  like 
or  dislike  for  them,  he  sitteth  neutral  among 
the  coming  and  going  thereof,  unmoved  and 
unshaken  by  them — knowing  that  the  Gunas, 
or  Qualities,  exist  and  are  constantly  coming 


142  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

and  going,  yet  witnessing  their  succession  and 
movement  as  one  outside  who  witnesseth  a 
procession  of  objects. 

"Yet,  even  he  who  standeth  self-reliant,  and 
at  ease,  balanced  equally  between  pleasure 
and  pain — he  to  whom  a  stone,  iron,  and  gold 
seem  alike  and  equally  valuable — he  who  ap- 
peareth  the  same  amidst  like  and  dislike ;  and 
who  regardeth  praise  and  blame  with  equal 
emotion,  or  lack  of  emotion — he  who  is  ever 
the  same  in  honor  or  disgrace — he  who  know- 
eth  no  difference  between  treatment  of  friend 
or  foe — he  who  hath  forsaken  all  ambition  for 
enterprises  or  undertakings  of  a  worldly  kind 
— verily  hath  such  a  one  surpassed  and  passed 
beyond  the  effects  of  the  Three  Gimas,  or 
Qualities,  and  escaped  from  them. 

"And  he,  my  follower  and  devotee,  who 
hath  devoted  himself  entirely  to  Me,  and  who 
serveth  Me  with  exclusive  heart  and  mind — 
he  having  completely  passed  beyond  the  qual- 
ities, is  surely  fitted  to  be  blended  with  the 
One. 

"Yea,  verily,  sayeth  I  unto  thee,  Arjuna, 
that  I  am  the  Symbol  and  the  Reality  of  Im- 


THE  THREE   GUNAS  OR   QUALITIES        143 

mortality;  the  Eternal;  the  Absolute  Justice; 
the  Bliss  Unending." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XIV  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  THREE 
GUNAS  OR  QUALITIES." 


PART  XV. 

CONSCIOUSNESS  OF  THE   SUPREME. 

Once  more,  spake  Krishna,  the  Blessed 
Lord,  unto  Arjuna,  saying : 

"The  Ashwattha,  the  sacred  tree,  the  sym- 
bol of  the  Universe  in  our  teachings,  is  said  to 
be  indestructible.  Its  roots  are  above,  and  its 
branches  are  below.  Its  leaves  are  the  Vedas, 
or  Sacred  Writings.  He  who  knowest  this, 
knowest  the  Vedas.  Its  branches  grow  out  of 
the  Three  Qualities,  or  Ganas;  and  their  les- 
ser shoots  or  twigs'  are  the  organs  of  sense, 
some  spreading  forth  high  up,  and  others 
down  low.  The  roots  which  are  spreading 
abroad  below,  on  the  plane  of  men,  are  the 
bonds  of  action. 

"Its  form  is  beyond  the  knowledge  of  men ; 
as  is  its  beginning,  its  end,  or  its  connections. 
When  this  mighty  tree  is  finally  cut  down  by 
the  strong  axe  of  Discriminative  Non-Attach- 
ment, in  spite  of  its  strongly  fixed  roots — then 
the  destroyer  of  that  tree  shalt  seek  for  that 
place  from  which  there  is  no  more  return  to 
144 


CONSCIOUSNESS   OF  THE   SUPREME        145 

re-birth,  for  that  place  is  the  One  Supreme 
Soul,  from  which  floweth  out  the  Soul  im- 
manent in  and  animating  all  things. 

"There  be  those  who,  having  freed  them- 
selves from  pride,  ignorance  and  delusion, 
have  overcome  those  faults  which  arise  from 
attachments  to  action.  They  employ  their 
minds  constantly  in  contemplation  of  the  Real 
Self,  and  thus  are  restrained  from  inordinate 
desires,  and  made  free  from  attraction  of  the 
Pairs  of  Opposites,  and  from  the  attendant  ef- 
fect of  these  which  are  known  as  Pleasure  and 
Pain.  They  are  thus  relieved  of  confusion 
and  illusion,  and  they  ascend  to  that  plane 
which  endureth  forever.  They  pass  on  to  that 
place  which  is  not  lighted  by  either  the  sun  or 
the  moon,  nor  yet  by  fire,  but  which  is  yet 
radiant  beyond  imagination.  For  this  place  is 
My  Supreme  Abode,  and  there  is  no  return 
therefrom. 

"Yea,  it  is  even  a  portion  of  myself,  that,  as 
an  apparently  separate  soul  doth  draw  around 
itself  the  five  senses  and  the  mind,  that  it  may 
obtain  embodiment  in  a  mortal  frame  and 
that  it  may  leave  this  frame  again.  And  the 
Ego  carrieth  this  mind  and  these  senses  to 


146  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

whatever  body  he  inhabits,  and  again  carrieth 
they  away  again  when  he  leaves  that  body. 
Through  the  instrumentality  of  the  organs  of 
seeing,  hearing,  feeling,  smelling  and  tasting, 
together  with  the  mind,  he  experienceth  the 
objects  of  sense. 

"The  deluded  and  ignorant  do  not  see  the 
soul  when  it  leaves  the  body,  or  remaineth  in 
the  body;  nor  yet  when  as  swayed  by  the 
Gunas,  or  Qualities,  it  experienceth  the  ob- 
jects of  sense.  But  the  Wise  Ones/  see  and 
understand.  And,  there  are  those  who,  by  in- 
dustrious meditation,  acquire  an  inward  sight 
by  which  they  may  perceive  this  occurrence 
within  themselves — but  those  of  untrained 
minds  and  ignorant  understanding,  though 
laboring  hard,  yet  fail  to  so  perceive  this 
within  themselves. 

"Know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  the  light  and  radi- 
ance which  proceedeth  from  the  sun  and  en- 
lighteneth  and  illumineth  the  whole  world — 
and  that  radiance  which  proceedeth  from  the 
moon,  and  sheddeth  soft  beams  over  the  earth 
— and  the  fiery  flame  within  the  fire,  which 
burneth  fiercely  upon  all  upon  which  its  light 
falleth — all  this  splendor  is  of  Me. 


CONSCIOUSNESS   OF  THE   SUPREME        147 

"Know,  also,  O  Prince,  that  I  enter  the 
earth  and  nourish  all  living  things  by  my  life 
and  vitality.  I  am  the  life-giving  juice  of  the 
plants  and  growing  things.  Likewise  am  I  the 
Vital  Force — the  Fire  of  Life — which  per- 
formeth  the  functions  of  life  within  the  body 
— I  inspire  the  breathing,  and  I  direct  the  di- 
gestive, assimilative  and  eliminative  processes. 
I  am  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men,  and  from 
Me  proceedeth  memory  and  knowledge  and 
also  the  absence  of  both. 

"And,  all  that  is  to  be  known  from  the 
Vedas  am  I.  Yea,  verily  am  I  also  the  wis- 
dom of  the  Vedanta  and  the  knowledge  of  the 
Vedas. 

"There  are  two  aspects  of  Soul  in  this 
world — the  One,  and  the  Many — the  Over- 
Soul  and  the  Under-Souls — the  Undivided  and 
the  Divided — many  names  there  be  to  express 
this  truth,  and  yet  all  names  fail  to  express  it 
fully.  The  Many-Soul  is  manifest  in  the 
body  of  Nature,  and  in  the  bodies  of  Nature's 
forms — the  One- Soul  standeth  apart  and 
above  Nature,  and  Nature's  things.  And  yet 
both  of  these  are  but  aspects  of  One.  Yea, 
and  there  is  also  the  Spirit — the  Soul  of  the 


148  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Soul — the  Supreme — the  Highest — the  Sus- 
tainer — the  Source — the  Lord — yea,  even  I, 
Krishna,  who,  dwelling  within  and  yet  above 
the  One-Soul  and  the  Many-Soul,  am  SPIRIT 
ABSOLUTE. 

"Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Arjuna,  and 
to  all  who  follow  after,  that  he  whose  eyes 
have  been  cleared  of  the  Smoke  of  Illusion 
and  who  knoweth  me,  Krishna,  thus  as 
SPIRIT  ABSOLUTE;  and  who  thus  know- 
ing, loveth  me  with  all  his  heart,  and  all  his 
mind,  and  all  his  soul — he  knoweth  ME  in 
truth.  And  knowing  ME,  he  knoweth  all 
things,  and  worshipeth  and  loveth  the  ONE 
and  ALL. 

"Now,  Arjuna,  have  I  declared  unto  thee 
\!he  Secret  of  Secrets — the  Mystery  of  Mys- 
teries— which  once  fully  understood  and  com- 
prehended, O  Prince,  bringeth  to  one  the 
Supreme  Illumination.  Who  knoweth  this 
hath  done  all  that  is  to  be  done — he  hath  ac- 
complished the  Divine  Adventure — he  hath 
gained  All  that  can  be  Known." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XV  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "CONSCIOUSNESS 
OF  THE  SUPREME." 


PART  XVI. 

THE  GOOD  AND  EVIL  NATURES. 

Now  again,  spake  Krishna,  the  Blessed 
Lord,  unto  Arjuna,  saying : 

"These  be  the  characteristics  and  nature 
of  those  who  are  walking  The  Path  that  lead- 
eth  to  Heavenly  Rewards — these  are  the 
marks  of  Good  Character  and  Destiny.  Fear- 
lessness have  they,  and  Purity  of  Heart.  And 
a  steady  attention  to  the  Life  of  Wisdom. 
And  Charity ;  and  Self-Mastery  and  True  Re- 
ligious Inclination;  and  Earnest  Study;  and 
Temperate  Living.  And  Right  Action;  and 
Freedom  from  Evil  Doing ;  and  Truthfulness ; 
and  Fredom  from  Anger.  And  Renunciation ; 
and  Equanimity;  and  Freedom  from  Evil 
Speaking  of  others.  Love  and  Compassion  for 
all  beings ;  Freedom  from  the  Desire  to  Kill ; 
Mildness;  Modesty;  Discretion;  Dignity;  Pa- 
tience; Fortitude;  Chastity;  Forgiveness;  and 
Freedom  from  Vainglory. 

"And  these  be  the  characteristics  and  nature 
of  those  who  are  walking  the  downward  path 
149 


150  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

that  leadeth  to  Loss  of  Heavenly  Rewards — 
these  are  the  marks  of  Evil  Character  and 
Destiny.  Hypocrisy  is  theirs,  and  Pride;  and 
Arrogance ;  and  Conceit ;  and  Anger ;  and 
Harsh  Speech;  and  Ignorance." 

"Yea,  the  Good  Character  and  Destiny 
make  for  Liberation  from  Mortality,  and  for 
the  Absorption  in  the  Divine."  And  the  Evil 
Character  and  Destiny  make  for  repeated 
birth  and  re-birth  amidst  the  mire  of  Mortal- 
ity. The  one  meaneth  Freedom — the  other 
Bondage.  Feareth  not,  Arjuna,  for  thou  hast 
the  Good  Character  and  Destiny,  and  Freedom 
shall  be  thine. 

"There  are  two  kinds  of  Natures  observable 
among  human  beings  in  the  world — the  Good 
Xature  and  the  Evil  Nature.  The  character- 
istics of  the  Good  Nature  have  been  spoken 
of.  Listeneth  thou  now,  O  Arjuna,  to  a  re- 
cital of  the  characteristics  of  the  Evil  Nature. 

"Those  who  possess  the  Evil  Nature,  O 
Prince,  knoweth  not  what  it  is  to  perform 
Right  Action,  and  to  refrain  from  performing 
Wrong  Action.  Nor  is  Purity,  Morality  or 
Veracity  to  be  found  in  them.  They  lack 
Faith  and  in  their  folly  would  believe  that 


THE   GOOD  AND   EVIL   NATURES  151 

the  universe  hath  no  creator,  but  is  in  itself 
without  beginning  or  end,  and  is  its  own 
cause.  They  deny  the  existence  of  Law  or 
Truth  in  the  universe.  And  they  deny  the 
existence  of  Spirit.  They  believe  in  Material- 
ism, in  Godlessness,  and  they  hold  that  Lust 
is  the  moving  and  operating  cause  of  all 
things,  bringing  about  mutual  union  and  re- 
production. 

"And,  believing  these  evil  and  foolish 
things,  these  men  of  imperfect  understanding, 
with  this  conception  fixed  in  their  minds,  de- 
vote themselves  to  evil  deeds  and  sow  in  the 
world  the  seeds  of  Evil  Thought  and  Error. 
They  live  for  Carnal  Enjoyment,  teaching  this 
as  the  highest  good.  They  strive  after  gratifi- 
cation of  sensual  appetites,  and  the  creation 
of  new  appetites — and  there  is  no  peace  or  sat- 
isfaction in  them,  for  appetite  springeth  from 
appetite,  and  the  sensual  craving  groweth 
more  acute  in  the  measure  in  which  it  is  grati- 
fied. Such  men  are  hypocrites,  and  full  of 
madness  and  intoxication. 

"Because  of  their  folly  and  false  reasoning, 
they  invent  new  doctrines  and  theories,  and 
give  themselves  to  the  material  life  of  sensual 


152  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

enjoyment.  They  live  and  die  in  their  delu- 
sions, holding  to  the  error  that  in  the  gratifica- 
tion of  the  sensual  nature  alone  is  satisfaction 
and  happiness  to  be  found.  Believing  that 
death  endeth  all  for  them,  they  would  fill  their 
days  of  life  full  to  the  brim  with  sense  gratifi- 
cation and  the  performance  of  the  behests  of 
an  abnormal  and  perverted  sensuality.  Desire 
is  their  God,  and  its  worship  and  service  their 
only  religion. 

"Bound  by  the  thousand  ties  of  Desire  for 
Things  and  Objects,  they  are  attached  to  the 
body  of  Lust  and  Wrath  and  Avarice.  They 
prostitute  their  minds  and  their  sense  of  jus- 
tice, in  their  vain  search  for  wealth  wherewith 
to  gratify  their  inordinate  and  swollen  appe- 
tite for  sense  experiences. 

"They  say  unto  themselves:  'To-day  have 
I  acquired  this  thing.  Tomorrow  shall  I  ac- 
quire the  desire  of  my  heart.  This  wealth 
have  I  gained,  and  tomorrow  shall  I  gain  that 
other  wealth  also.  This  foe  hath  been  slain, 
and  tomorrow  others  shall  I  destroy.  I  am 
my  own  God — there  is  none  other  God  but 
Me — and  I  shalt  enjoy  this  my  world,  which 
is  mine  for  the  pleasure  I  may  extract  from  it. 


THE   GOOD  AND   EVIL   NATURES  153 

I  am  rich  and  overflowing  with  wealth.  I  take 
precedence  among  other  men.  Where  is  there 
one  alike  so  perfect,  wise,  and  shrewd  as  I? 
I  will  scatter  handfuls  of  money  among  the 
throng,  that  they  may  realize  my  bounty,  and 
know  how  great,  powerful  and  rich  am  I — 
yea,  even  1/  In  this  manner  do  these  fools 
talk — they  who  imagine  themselves  wise,  but 
who  in  reality  have  disordered  and  unbalanced 
minds. 

"And  such,  confounded  and  confused  in  their 
minds  by  reason  of  their  delusions,  excesses, 
and  vain  living — they  become  entangled  in  the 
nets  of  their  own  desires  and  attachments. 
And  the  weight  of  their  objects  of  attachment, 
holding  them  fast,  drags  them  down  into  the 
quicksands  of  Hell,  which  is  the  repeated  re- 
birth into  the  lower  and  lower  planes  of  the 
mire  and  slime  of  Maternality  and  Sensuality. 
There  is  no  Hell  like  unto  this,  even  among 
the  imaginings  of  those  who  would  teach  of 
places  of  torment  and  torture — this  is  the  most 
fearful  Hell  of  all. 

"Yea,  and  some  of  these  men,  in  their  hy- 
pocrisy and  desire  to  appear  well  before  the 
world,  do  even  ape  piety  and  true  religion. 


154  THE   BHAGAYAD   GITA 

Following  the  letter  instead  of  the  spirit,  they 
imitate  the  worship,  and  perform  the  churchly 
rites  and  ceremonies,  with  much  show  of  zeal ; 
with  much  outward  show  and  display ;  and 
with  ostentatious  scattering  of  alms.  Their 
Ignorance,  and  Conceit,  and  Self-esteem  fol- 
low them  into  the  temple,  and  they  pollute  the 
holy  places  with  their  thievish  presence  and 
natures. 

"Being  filled  with  Pride,  Power,  Ostenta- 
tion, Lust  and  Selfishness,  they  are  consumed 
with  H^ate,  Malice  and  Slander,  and  hate  Me 
in  themselves  and  in  others.  Wherefore,  are 
these  vile,  sensual,  hating,  pitiless  ones — these 
evil  beings  who  hate  Me  and  all  that  is  Good 
— cast  down  into  continual  re-birth  into  the 
wombs  of  mire  and  filth  and  uncleanliness. 

"And,  if  even  in  these  lower  depths  of  un- 
cleanliness, they  learn  not  the  lesson,  and  grow 
not  sick  and  filled  with  nausea  at  the  filth 
of  sensuality  and  long  not  to  begin  the  upward 
path  from  the  Hell  into  which  they  have  been 
cast— if  they  learn  not  even  this  lesson,  but, 
instead,  still  true  to  their  nature,  they  prefer 
to  sink  to  lower  and  still  lower  planes — then 
finally  they  sink   into  the  final   stage  which 


THE  GOOD   AND   EVIL    NATURES  155 

meaneth  Annihilation.  And  thus  do  they  lose 
their  souls  indeed  and  exist  no  more,  even  as 
their  foolish  philosophies  have  taught  them  to 
expect,  but  in  a  far  different  manner  and 
even  from  causes  which  they  strenuously  de- 
nied. Such  come  not  to  Me — ever  or  at  any 
time — but  are  lost  forever  and  ever,  for  from 
Nothingness  there  is  no  return. 

"Three  passages  are  there  to  this  Hell  of 
Lower  Re-birth,  and  these  three  are,  Lust, 
Anger  and  Avarice — the  destroyers  of  the 
soul  if  finally  persisted  in.  Therefore. should 
men  avoid  them  as  demoniac  roads  to  destruc- 
tion and  Inferno.  He  who  renounceth  them 
as  such,  and  freeing  himself  from  the  Tamas 
Guna,  or  Dark  Quality,  shall  rise  upward,  and 
advancing  step  by  step,  shall  regain  The  Path 
which  leadeth  to  the  Heavenly  State  of  the 
Divine  Union.  But  he  who  abandoneth  the 
dictates  of  Spiritual  Wisdom,  and  giveth  him- 
self up  to  the  delusions  and  errors  of  Lust, 
Anger  and  Avarice,  verily  shalt  he  attain 
neither  Perfection,  Happiness,  nor  the  Divine 
State. 

"Wherefore,  O  Arjuna,  thou  should  ac- 
quaint   thyself    with    the    highest    Spiritual 


156  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Teachings;  and  the  understanding  regarding 
Right  Action  and  Wrong  Action,  that  thou 
may  perform  the  one  and  avoid  the  other. 
Seeketh  thou  the  Highest  Light  of  Wisdom, 
and  govern  thy  works  accordingly." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XVI,  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  PART  IS  CALLED  "THE  GOOD  AND 
EVIL  NATURES."" 


PART  XVII. 

THE   THREEFOLD   FAITH. 

Thus  further,  spake  Arjuna,  unto  Krishna, 
the  Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"What  is  the  condition  and  state  of  those 
men  who  casteth  aside  the  authority  of  the 
Sacred  Writings,  yet  who  still  retain  their 
faith  and  worship?  Are  they  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Sattvas;  the  Rajas;  or  the  Tamas 
Gunasf  Tell  me  thus,  O  Blessed  Krishna,  my 
Lord,  I  pray  Thee !" 

Krishna  :  "The  Faith  of  Man  is  of  a  three- 
fold kind — three  forms  of  manifestations  hath 
it,  according  to  the  nature,  character  and  dis- 
position of  the  man.  Named  after  the  Gunas 
are  these  three  forms,  namely  Sattvakee;  Ra- 
jasee;  and  Tamas ee — or  in  other  words,  The 
Pure;  the  Desire-colored;  and  The  Dark. 
Heareth  thou  what  these  are,  O  Prince. 

"The  faith  of  each  man  is  a  reflection  of 
that  man's  character  or  nature.  That  in  which 
each  hath  faith,  is  the  essence  of  that  man  him- 
self. Each  man's  God — his  Conception  of 
157 


158  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

Deity — is  himself  at  his  best,  magnified  to  in- 
finity. Likewise,  is  his  Evil  Spirit,  or  Devil, 
but  himself  at  his  worst,  magnified  to  infinity. 
By  one's  Dieties  shalt  thou  know  the  man  him- 
self, if  thou  observest  well. 

"This  being  so,  those  in  whom  the  Sattvas 
Guna  is  supreme,  worshippeth  the  Gods — the 
most  advanced  worshipping  only  the  Absolute 
Spirit — ME  !  And  those  under  the  mastery  of 
the  Rajas  Guna,  worshippeth  the  lesser  gods 
— the  gods  of  qualities,  attributes,  powers, 
gifts ;  or  other  exalted  beings  of  the  higher 
planes  and  regions.  And  those  under  the  do- 
minion of  the  dark  Tamas  Guna,  worship  the 
departed  spirits,  ghosts,  goblins,  devils, 
demons,  gnomes,  evil  spirits  and  the  elemen- 
tals,  and  such  beings  of  the  lower  planes  of  the 
unseen  world,  oftimes  times  calling  them  by 
the  name  of  God. 

"As  for  those  misguided  men,  who  seek 
merit  by  the  performance  of  severe  austerities, 
and  mortifications  of  the  flesh,  unauthorized 
by  the  Sacred  Teachings — they  are  gainglori- 
ous  creatures,  overcome  with  pride,  self- 
righteousness  and  hypocrisy,  and  are  urged  on 
by  desire  and  passion  for  reward  and  praise. 


THE  THREEFOLD   FAITH  159 

These  men  torture  the  fair  body,  and  torment 
the  parts  and  principles  of  the  same — thus 
disturbing  the  soul  which  resideth  within,  and 
even  Me  who  am  within  the  soul  in  its  inner 
chamber.  Such  are  demoniacal,  in  their  in- 
fernal resolves  and  wrongful  practices. 

"Know  thus  also,  Arjuna,  that  there  be 
three  kinds  of  food  which  are  dear  to  all  man- 
kind. Also  are  Worship,  Zeal,  and  Charity 
threefold.     Hearken  thou  to  their  distinctions. 

"The  food  that  is  most  agreeable  to  those 
in  whom  the  Sattvas  Guna  is  predominant,  is 
that  conducive  to  Long  Life,  Power  and 
Strength,  and  which  prevents  Sickness,  and 
renders  one  Happy  and  Contented.  Such 
food  is  pleasing  to  the  taste ;  nourishing,  sub- 
stantial, and  gratifying  to  the  hunger.  Too 
bitter  it  is  not ;  neither  is  it  too  sour,  too  salt, 
too  hot,  too  pungent,  too  astringent,  nor  too 
burning.  Those  of  the  Rajas  Guna  nature, 
prefer  food  which  is  bitter,  sour,  hot,  pungent, 
dry  and  burning,  to  an  excessive  degree — 
that  which  stirs  up  the  appetites,  stimulates 
the  taste-sense  and  produces,  finally,  pain, 
sickness,  and  dissatisfaction.  Those  who  are 
under  the  rule  of  the  dark  Tamas  Guna,  in- 


160  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA 

cline  to  food  which  hath  been  dressed  the  day 
before,  and  that  which  is  out  of  season;  also 
that  which  hath  lost  its  savor  and  hath  grown 
putrid ;  also  the  uneaten  parts  of  others'  meals, 
and  all  food  that  is  unclean  and  impure. 

"And  as  to  Worship,  know  the  three  forms. 
The  man  of  Sattvas  Guna  doth  worship  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  Sacred  Writings 
without  desire  of  reward;  with  pure  heart 
worship  for  the  love  of  worship;  and  with  a 
mind  ever  attentive  to  that  which  he  worship- 
ped. And  he,  of  the  Rajas  Guna  nature,  doth 
worship  as  the  hypocrite  with  mind  full  of 
hope  of  reward;  asking  favors  and  seeking 
merit  and  notice — such  is  his  vain  worship. 
And  he  of  the  Tamas  Guna  nature  doth  wor- 
ship without  faith,  or  devotion,  or  thought, 
or  reverence,  and  without  spirit — such  is  his 
so-called  worship,  which  is  not  worship  at  all, 
but  which  is  merely  a  form  of  habit  and  cus- 
tom, and  stupid,  sheep-like  following  of  cus- 
tomary motions  and  forms. 

"Respect  for  the  Heavenly  Beings;  the 
Holy  Men;  the  Learned  Men;  Masters;  to- 
gether with  Chastity,  Rectitude,  the  Worship 
of  God,  and  Harmlessness — these  constitute 


THE  THREEFOLD   FAITH  161 

what  is  known  as  Bodily  Zeal.  Gentleness, 
Justice,  Kindness,  Soft  Speech,  and  Perform- 
ance of  Duty — these  are  what  is  known  as  the 
Zeal  of  Speech.  Mental  Content ;  Mildness  of 
Temper;  Devotion;  Control  over  Passions; 
Purity  of  Soul — these  are  what  are  known  as 
Mental  Zeal. 

"This  Threefold  zeal,  which  is  performed 
by  men  who  longeth  not  for  reward  or  fruit  of 
action,  but  who  are  stirred  and  warmed  by 
True  Faith — this  belongeth  to  the  Sattvas 
Guna.  But  the  Zeal  which  springeth  from 
hypocrisy  and  is  built  upon  hope  of  reward; 
the  reputation  of  piety  and  sanctity;  honor 
and  good-name;  that  which  is  uncertain  and 
not  constant — that  belongeth  to  Rajas  Guna. 
And  the  Zeal  which  is  manifested  by  the  fool- 
ish and  stupid,  and  which  consisteth  of  self- 
torture  and  similar  folly,  or  which  is  per- 
formed in  the  hopes  of  injuring  or  destroying 
another — that  belongeth  to  Tamas  Guna. 

"And  as  for  Charity,  these  are  the  three 
kinds.  That  Charity  which  is  bestowed  for 
Charity's  sake  and  because  it  is  right;  dis- 
interestedly, and  at  due  time,  place  and  sea- 
son, and  to  proper  objects — this  is  of  the  Satt- 


162  THE  BHAGAVAD  GITA 

vas  Guna.  And  that  Charity  which  is  be- 
stowed in  expectation  or  hope  of  return,  or 
reward;  or  attached  to  the  fruits  of  action, 
or  begrudgingly — this  is  of  Rajas  Guna.  And 
that  Charity  which  is  bestowed  out  of  place 
and  season  to  unworthy  objects;  ungraciously 
and  scornfully,  the  real  spirit  of  Charity  being 
entirely  absent  from  the  gift — this  is  of  the 
Tamas  Guna. 

« <AUM— TAT— SAT,'  this  is  the  Three- 
fold Designation  of  the  ABSOLUTE.  By  the 
Absolute,  in  the  beginning  were  appointed  the 
Teachers ;  the  Sacred  Teachings ;  and  Re- 
ligion. Hence  before  the  ceremonies,  sacri- 
fices, rites,  and  religious  teachings,  cometh  the 
pronouncing  of  the  Sacred  Syllable,  'AUM/ 
And  before  the  performance  of  the  rites  of 
sacrifice  and  the  ceremonies,  almsgiving,  aus- 
terities, zeal  and  worship,  of  those  who  seek 
Immortality,  comes  the  pronouncing  of  the 
word  TAT.'  And  in  the  state  of  mental  wor- 
ship, sacrifice,  and  renunciation,  when  action 
is  at  rest — also  in  the  performance  of  good 
actions,  and  in  the  observance  of  good  quali- 
ties— also  in  the  dedication  of  action  and  life 


THE  THREEFOLD   FAITH  163 

to  the  Supreme — then  is  pronounced  the  word 
'SAT.' 

"And  whatever  is  performed  without  Faith 
whether  it  be  sacrifice ;  charity ;  mortifications 
of  the  flesh ;  austerity ;  or  any  other  act  or 
observance  which  lacketh  goodness,  truth  and 
faith — that  is  called  'ASAT/  and  is  without 
merit  of  virtue,  either  in  this  world  or  in  other 
worlds;  either  here  or  hereafter." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XVII  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  IS  CALLED  "THE  THREEFOLD 
FAITH." 


PART  XVIII. 

RENUNCIATION  AND  FREEDOM. 

Then  spake  Arjuna,  unto  Krishna,  the 
Blessed  Lord,  saying: 

"O  Blessed  Lord,  inform  me,  I  pray  thee, 
regarding  the  nature  of  Sannyasa,  or  the  Ab- 
staining from  Action,  on  the  one  hand ;  and 
Tyaga,  or  the  Renunciation  of  the  Fruits  of 
Action,  on  the  other  hand.  Pray  tell  me,  O 
Lord,  of  the  true  principle  of  each  and  also  of 
the  differences  and  distinction  between  these 
two. 

Krishna:  'The  Sages  have  told  us  that 
the  principle  of  Sannyasa,  or  Abstaining  from 
Action,  lieth  in  the  forsaking  of  all  Action 
which  hath  a  desired  object;  and  that  the 
principle  of  Tyaga,  or  Renunciation  of  Fruits 
of  Action,  lieth  in  the  forsaking  of  all  the 
Fruits  of  every  Action.  Notest  thou  this 
subtle  distinction,  O  Prince?  Then,  also,  have 
certain  teachers  informed  us  that  Actions  are 
to  be  forsaken  as  evil,  yea,  even  as  evil  as 
crimes.  Still  other  teachers  have  informed  us 
164 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  165 

that  actions  of  worship,  sacrifice,  austerity, 
and  devotion,  are  worthy  and  virtuous,  and 
therefore  should  not  be  forsaken.  In  view  of 
this  confusion  of  teachings,  hear  thou,  O 
Prince,  to  this  my  certain  teaching  upon  this 
subject  of  Tyaga,  or  the  Renunciation  of  the 
Fruits  of  Action,  which  is  taught  as  being 
threefold. 

"Tyaga,  or  Renunciation  of  Action,  doth  not 
rest  in  the  forsaking  of  virtuous  and  religious 
action.  Therefore  actions  of  worship,  devo- 
tion, austerity,  and  charity,  are  not  to  be  for- 
saken or  renounced.  For  most  proper  are 
they.  Performance,  and  devotion,  austerity, 
and  charity  are  the  purifiers  of  the  teachers 
and  philosophers. 

"It  is  my  certain  teaching,  O  Arjuna,  that 
such  virtuous  and  religious  actions  and  works 
are  to  be  performed  for  their  own  sake — for 
their  own  inherent  virtue — and  not  from  hope 
of  reward  here  or  hereafter,  but  with  full 
renunciation  of  reward,  merit,  consequences 
or  fruits  of  the  action  or  works.  The  teach- 
ing that  it  is  proper  to  abstain  from  these  vir- 
tuous works,  (which  surely  are  to  be  per- 
formed by  the  virtuous),  is  erroneous,  false 


166  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

and  improper — and  the  following  of  such  per- 
nicious teachings  result  from  the  folly  and 
confusion  of  mind  resulting  from  the  Tamas 
Guna,  or  Quality  of  Ignorance. 

"And  also  know  this,  O  Prince,  that  most 
erroneous  is  the  forsaking  of  work  and  action, 
for  the  reason  that  it  is  painful,  tiresome  and 
unpleasant  to  the  physical  body,  or  because  it 
is  unattractive  to  the  mind.  Verily  he  that 
for  these  reasons  leaveth  undone  that  which 
he  should  have  done,  and  would  take  merit 
therefor,  he  is  self-deceived  and  shall  not  ob- 
tain the  merit  accruing  from  Renunciation. 
This  folly  doth  arise,  from  the  Rajas  Guna,  or 
Quality  of  Desire. 

"But  that  work  and  action  which  is  per- 
formed because  it  seemeth  proper  and  neces- 
sary to  be  done,  providing  it  be  performed 
with  a  full  forsaking  of  the  consequences  -and 
fruits,  and  without  hope  or  expectation  of 
reward,  verily  such  is  true  Renunciation, 
most  proper,  good  and  pure.  Such  ariseth 
from  Sattvas  Guna,  or  the  Quality  of  Truth 
and  Intelligence. 

"And,  he  who  is  moved  by  the  Sattvas 
Guna,  or  Quality  of  Truth  and  Intelligence, 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  167 

verily,  is  known  as  a  Tyagee,  or  a  Renouncer 
of  the  Fruit  of  Action.  His  judgment  is  most 
sound,  and  he  has  risen  above  doubt  and  dis- 
traction of  mind.  He  rejoiceth  not  in  the  at- 
tainment of  successful  results,  neither  doth  he 
complain  over  the  failure  of  his  actions — he 
accepteth  either,  being  attached  to  neither. 

"Know  thou,  Arjuna,  that  it  were  the 
veriest  folly  to  attempt  to  absolutely  abstain 
from  action  and  works — the  very  constitution 
of  the  mortal  body  forbiddeth  it.  There- 
fore, he  is  most  properly  called  a  Tyagee  who 
is  a  Renouncer  of  the  Fruit  of  Action.  The 
Fruit  of  Action  is  threefold,  namely:  that 
which  is  coveted  or  desired ;  that  which  is  de- 
tested and  undesired ;  and  that  which  is  neither 
one  or  the  other,  being  of  mixed  quality  and 
undetermined  nature.  And  these  fruits,  ac- 
cording to  their  nature,  accrue  after  death 
and  in  re-birth,  to  those  who  earn  them.  But 
where  there  is  no  seed  of  Fruit  in  the  Action, 
there  is  no  fruit.  And  where  the  Fruits  are 
renounced,  none  accrueth. 

'T«earn  from  Me,  Arjuna,  that  for  the  per- 
formance of  every  act  five  agents  are  neces- 
sary, as  is  declared  in  the  Sacred  Teachings, 


168  THE   B  HAG  AY  AD   GIT  A 

These  are  the  body;  the  acting  mind;  the 
various  energies ;  the  muscles  and  nerves ;  and 
the  soul.  All  work  or  actions  which  engageth 
a  man — the  work  of  the  body,  or  work  of  the 
mind,  or  speech,  whether  good  or  evil,  law- 
ful or  unlawful,  hath  these  five  agents  in 
operation  in  the  performance.  He  therefore, 
who  knoweth  this,  and  yet  conceiveth  the  Real 
Self  to  be  the  sole  agent  of  the  action  is  as 
one  blind,  and  seeth  not  in  truth.  He  who 
hath  freed  himself  from  the  bonds  of  Per- 
sonality, and  who  hath  gained  Right  Under- 
standing, verily  he  knoweth  that  although  he 
destroyeth  these  hosts  gathered  together  in 
battle-array,  yet  hath  he  killed  not  at  all,  nor  is 
he  bound  by  the  Fruit  of  his  Action  in  his 
re-births. 

"There  be  Three  Moving  Causes  of  Action 
— those  which  precede  the  performance  of 
every  act — they  are  Dyana  or  Knowledge; 
Dyena,  or  the  Object  of  Knowledge;  and 
Parijnata,  or  the  Knower.  Thus  the  Knowl- 
edge, the  Known,  and  the  Knower — these  be 
the  three  Moving  Causes  of  Action.  Like- 
wise is  the  accomplishment  of  an  action,  three- 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  169 

fold,  namely :  The  Implement ;  the  Act ;  and 
the  Agent. 

"Knoweth  thou,  also,  that  the  Wisdom, 
the  Action,  and  the  Agent,  hath  each  its  dis- 
tinguishing characteristics,  produced  by  the 
influence  of  the  Three  Gunas,  or  Qualities. 
Learn  now,  the  influence  of  the  Qualities,  or 
Gunas,  as  manifested  therein. 

"That  Dnyana,  or  Wisdom,  which  is  of  the 
Sattvas  Guna,  or  Quality  of  Truth,  is  that  by 
which  a  man  believeth  and  understandeth  that 
One  Principle — indestructible  and  eternal, 
and  not  separated — prevaileth  and  manifesteth 
in  all  Nature,  in  all  of  her  destructible  and 
separated  forms.  And  that  Dnyana,  or  Wis- 
dom, which  is  of  the  Rajas  Guna,  or  Quality 
of  Desire  and  Passion,  is  that  by  which  a  man 
believeth  and  understandeth  that  in  Nature 
there  are  manifold  Principles  prevailing,  in- 
stead of  One.  And  that  Dynana,  or  Wisdom, 
which  is  of  the  Tamas  Guna,  or  Quality 
of  Ignorance  and  Stupidity,  is  that  by 
which  a  man  believeth  and  understandeth  not 
any  Principle  whatsoever;  and  which  looking 
not  beyond  the  form,  nor  beneath  the  surface 
of  things,  seeth  each  object  or  thing,  regard- 


170  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

less  of  its  relation  to  another  or  to  the  whole 
— thinking  of  each  as  if  it  were  the  whole — 
without  any  conception  of  Cause  or  Origin — 
bathed  in  Slothful  Thought  and  Ignorance. 

"That  Act  which  one  performeth  as  lawful 
and  virtuous,  without  regard  for  its  conse- 
quences, fruit,  or  reward — dispassionately  and 
without  attachment — that  proceedeth  from 
the  Sattvas  Guna.  And  that  Act  which  one 
performeth  with  great  care  and  concern  for 
consequences,  and  rewards — inspired  by  sel- 
fish desire  and  egotism — that  proceedeth  from 
the  Rajas  Guna.  And  that  Act  which  one  per- 
formeth regardless  whether  it  be  Right  Ac- 
tion or  Wrong  Action— heedless  of  its  possible 
evil  and  hurtful  effects  upon  others — that 
which  is  performed  in  ignorance,  stupidity  or 
folly — that  proceedeth  from  the  Tamas  Guna. 

"That  Agent,  who  is  free  from  selfishness 
and  personal  pride — who  hath  fortitude  and 
resolution — and  who  regardeth  not  the  fruit 
of  his  right  action,  neither  looketh  for  reward 
— he  is  moved  by  the  Sattvas  Guna.  And  that 
Agent  who  is  filled  with  desire,  passion,  and 
hope  of  selfish  gain  and  reward — who  is  ava- 
ricious, lacking  in  sympathy,  impure,  and  a 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  171 

bondsman  of  joy  or  sorrow — he  is  moved  by 
the  Rajas  Guna.  And  that  Agent,  who  is 
stupid,  slothful,  inattentive,  stubborn,  indis- 
creet, careless,  inactive,  and  dilatory,  and  who 
lacketh  energy  and  the  right  spirit  of  work — 
he  is  moved  by  the  Tamas  Guna. 

"And,  further,  O  Arjuna,  Prince  of  Pandu, 
who  art  my  pupil  and  dearly  beloved  student, 
listen  while  I  inform  thee  clearly  and  without 
reserve  concerning  the  threefold  divisions  and 
nature  of  Intelligence  and  Will. 

"That  Intelligence  which  knoweth  how  and 
when  to  enter  into  an  undertaking,  and  how 
and  when  to  withdraw ;  what  is  needful  to  be 
done,  and  what  is  needful  to  refrain  from  do- 
ing;— which  knoweth  what  is  Fear,  what 
Fearlessness,  and  what  Prudent  Caution ;  what 
is  Freedom,  what  Bondage,  and  what  Foolish 
License; — that  Intelligence  cometh  through 
Sattvas  Guna.  And  that  Intelligence  which 
knoweth  not  fully  what  is  proper  and  what  is 
improper — what  is  right  and  what  is  wrong — 
this  imperfect  understanding  being  because  of 
the  sway  of  personal  desire  and  passion,  which 
warpeth  the  reason,  and  which  causeth  one  to 
see  every  act  by  the  light  of  his  own  personal 


172  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

desire — that  Intelligence  cometh  through  Rajas 
Guna.  And  that  Intelligence  which,  wrapped 
in  its  dense  stupidity  and  sloth,  mistaketh 
Wrong  for  Right,  Injustice  for  Justice  and 
which  seeth  all  things  awry,  distorted  and  in- 
verted, and  contrary  to  their  real  meaning  and 
nature — that  Intelligence  cometh  through 
Tamas  Guna. 

"That  Will  by  which  a  man  mastereth  and 
controlleth  himself,  his  mind,  his  actions,  his 
organs,  his  body,  with  devotion  and  firmness 
— that  Will  ariseth  from  Sattvas  Guna.  And 
that  Will  by  which  a  man  is  firm  and  per- 
sistent in  his  calling,  from  selfish  desires  and 
hope  of  reward ;  and  which  is  employed  in  the 
furthering  of  avaricious  undertakings ;  or  in 
the  gratification  of  lust — that  Will  ariseth 
from  Rajas  Guna.  And  that  Will  by  which 
a  man-manifesteth  a  stubborn  mind,  like  unto 
that  of  the  wild  ass,  by  which  he  holdeth  fast 
to  folly,  ignorance,  sloth,  superstition,  bigotry, 
foolish  vanity,  laziness,  and  fears — that  Will 
ariseth  from  Tamas  Guna. 

"And,  now,  O  Prince,  hearken  unto  Me, 
while  I  inform  thee  regarding  the  threefold 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  173 

division  of  Pleasure,  wherein  Happiness  con- 
quereth  Pain. 

"The  Pleasure  that  proceedeth  from  Sattvas 
Guna,  is  that  which  a  man  acquireth  through 
his  work  and  rightful  energies — such  is  as 
poison  at  the  beginning,  and  as  nectar  of 
sweetest  flavor  at  the  ending — this  is  the 
Pleasure  of  Right  Attainment,  which  flows 
from  Work  Well-done — this  is  possible  only  to 
him  of  pure  understanding  and  clear  mind. 
The  Pleasure  that  floweth  from  Rajas  Guna,  is 
that  which  a  man  experienceth  through  the 
union  of  the  senses  with  the  objects  of  their 
desire — such  is  as  nectar  in  the  beginning,  but 
as  bitter  as  poison  in  the  ending — this  be- 
longeth  to  the  nature  of  passion  and  desire. 
The  Pleasure  that  proceedeth  from  Tamas 
Guna,  is  that  which  a  man  acquireth  through 
idleness,  indolence,  drowsiness,  the  taking  of 
drugs,  and  intoxication — such  is  as  poison, 
both  in  the  beginning  and  in  the  ending — this 
belongeth  to  the  nature  of  darkness,  sloth,  and 
stupidity. 

"Yea,  the  manifestation  of  the  three  Gunas, 
or  Qualities  is  to  be  found  everywhere  in  the 
earth  and  in  regions  above  the  earth — there  is 


174  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

no  creature  or  created  thing  on  earth  or  in  the 
super-terrestrial  hosts,  which  is  free  from  the 
operation  of  the  Gunas  or  Qualities  that  spring 
from  Nature's  bosom. 

'The  duties  of  the  various  castes,  and 
classes,  and  divisions  of  kind  among  men,  are 
determined  by  these  Gunas  or  Qualities,  which 
are  within  the  nature  of  each.  The  Priestly 
Caste  of  Brahmans,  hath  the  duty  of  serenity, 
self-mastery,  zeal,  purity,  patience,  rectitude, 
wisdom,  learning,  and  religious  knowledge. 
The  Warrior  Caste,  of  Kshatriyas,  hath  the 
duty  of  courage,  bravery,  fortitude,  honor, 
obedience,  discipline,  nobility  and  soldierly 
conduct.  The  Farmer  Caste,  of  Vaishyas, 
hath  the  duty  of  industry,  knowledge  of  the 
soil,  of  grains,  of  fruits,  of  cattle,  and  knowl- 
edge of  trading,  buying  and  selling.  The  La- 
boring Caste,  of  Sudras,  hath  the  duty  of  faith- 
ful service,  industry,  attention,  faithfulness, 
and  honesty.  And  each  duty  is  inspired  and 
fostered  by  the  Natural  Disposition  of  each, 
which  springeth  from  the  Gunas,  or  Qualities, 
coming  down  to  the  man  through  his  past 
thoughts,  desires,  and  lives  in  the  shape  of 
character. 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  175 

"Blessed  is  he  that  doeth  his  work  as  well 
as  he  can — that  performeth  his  duty  faithfully, 
according  to  his  nature  and  walk  of  life — for 
from  such  good  work  coupled  with  a  con- 
tented mind,  doth  Perfection  arise. 

"Listen  thou,  Arjuna,  while  I  informeth 
thee  how  Perfection  is  gained  by  him  who  is 
intent  upon  his  own  duty,  and  who  is  faithful 
in  the  performance  thereof. 

"He  who  worketh  to  his  best,  in  the  line  of 
his  duty,  and  then  ofTereth  his  work,  and  labor, 
and  Duty,  as  a  sacrifice  to  THE  ABSOLUTE 
SPIRIT,  from  which  proceedeth  all  the  prin- 
ciples of  Nature,  Life,  and  the  Universe,  and 
from  which  is  spread  out  the  Universal  Life 
in  all  of  its  forms  and  shapes  and  degrees  of 
manifestation — he  that  worketh  and  who  per- 
formeth his  Duty  in  that  spirit,  verily  I  say 
unto  thee,  that  man  obtaineth  Perfection  by 
reason  of  such  service  and  sacrifice.  This  is 
the  Supreme  Sacrifice  of  Life,  which  each 
man  must  ofTer  to  the  Supreme  Source  of  Life. 

"Far  better  it  is  for  one  to  perform  his  own 
Duty  in  the  world,  even  though  that  work  be 
lowly,  and  possessing  faults,  than  the  Duty  of 
another,  though  the  work  be  great  and  well- 


176  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

performed.  He  who  doeth  the  Duty  and  work 
established  and  indicated  by  his  own  nature; 
and  character,  erreth  not.  He  who  follows 
Nature's  guidance  in  this,  doeth  well.  Natural 
inclination  toward  occupation  and  manner  of 
life,  when  coupled  with  ability  for  its  per- 
formance, is  worthy  of  performance,  and  thus 
becometh  Duty.  And  then,  let  all  remember, 
that  every  calling,  or  occupation,  or  duty,  or 
manner  or  class  of  life,  hath  its  painful  side 
and  its  drawbacks  and  hindrances.  Let  all 
remember  that  every  fire  hath  its  smoke,  and 
that  it  is  folly  to  vainly  imagine  that  one's 
own  task  is  the  hardest,  and  that  the  tasks  of 
others  are  free  from  defects  and  hardships. 

"One  who  hath  a  mind  unattached,  and  un- 
affected by  the  pairs  of  opposites — whose 
mind  is  controlled,  and  whose  Personal  Self  is 
mastered — whose  desires  are  dead — he  hath 
by  Renunciation  acquired  the  Highest  Per- 
fection of  Freedom.  He  hath  gained  Free- 
dom from  Work,  by  the  performance  of 
Work  without  Desire  for  Fruits.  Listen,  now, 
while  I  inform  thou  how  such  an  one,  having 
gained  this  Perfection,  may  enter  into  the 
Eternal  Bliss. 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  177 

Having  purified  his  mind,  and  cleared  his 
understanding;  having  mastered  his  personal 
self  by  firm  resolution,  and  having  forsaken 
the  objects  of  sense ;  having  delivered  himself 
from  desire,  dislike,  and  passion ;  worshipping 
with  intelligent  discretion  and  understanding; 
eating  with  moderation  and  temperance;  with 
controlled  speech,  body  and  mind;  being  well 
practiced  in  meditation  and  concentration ;  be- 
ing dispassionate;  having  freed  himself  from 
ostentation,  egotism,  tyranny,  vain-glory,  lust, 
anger,  avarice,  covetousness,  and  selfishness — 
possessing  calmness  and  peace,  amidst  the 
feverish  unrest  of  the  world  around  him — 
such  a  man  is  fitted  to  enter  into  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  Universal  Life. 

"And,  having  thus  entered  into  this  Univer- 
sal Life  Consciousness,  he  obtaineth  absolute 
peace  of  mind,  and  he  no  longer  wondereth, 
longeth,  nor  lamenteth.  The  same  to  all  be- 
ings and  things — and  all  beings  and  things  the 
same  to  him — he  attaineth  Supreme  Devotion 
to  ME.  And  by  this  devotion  to  Me,  gaineth 
he  the  fundamental  knowledge  of  what  I  AM 
in  ESSENCE.     And  having  known  what  is 


178  THE   BHAGAVAD  GITA 

MY  ESSENCE,  he  entereth,  without  hin- 
drance or  further  obstacle,  into  MY  BEING. 

"Know,  also,  O  Prince,  that  a  man  being 
engaged  in  any  or  every  work — performing 
any  or  all  actions — with  faith,  and  devotion, 
and  confidence  in  Me — placing  his  faith,  and 
hope  and  confidence  and  mind  upon  Me  and 
Me  alone — he  shall  find  his  way  to  Ale,  and 
I  to  him.  Then,  O  Arjuna,  Well-Beloved,  place 
thou  thy  heart,  and  soul  and  mind  upon  Ale. 
Perform  all  thy  acts,  and  work,  and  duty,  for 
Me — place  upon  Ale  each  and  every  one  of 
them.  Make  me  thy  supreme  choice  and  pref- 
erence ;  and  with  the  light  of  thine  unfolded 
understanding,  do  thou  think  earnestly  and 
constantly  of  Ale.  And  by  so  doing,  shalt 
thou,  through  my  Divine  Love,  surmount  and 
conquer  every  difficulty  which  doth  surround 
and  encompass  all  mortals. 

"But,  beware,  lest  in  the  pride  of  Person- 
ality thou  heedst  not  My  words  and  teachings, 
for  if  thou  so  failst  in  thy  understanding  and 
discrimination,  then  shalt  thou  escape  Me,  and 
I  thee. 

"And,  if  in  thy  self -sufficiency  and  half- 
wisdom,  thou  shouldst  affirm  to  thyself:     'I 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  179 

will  not  fight,'  then  shalt  even  that,  thy  deter- 
mination, prove  vain  and  fallacious — for  even 
then  shalt  the  principle,  qualities  and  character 
of  thy  nature  force  thee  into  the  fight,  and 
cause  thee  to  grapple  with  thy  foemen.  Yea„0 
Prince,  even  that  which  thou,  in  thy  illusion 
and  personal  conceit,  think'st  thou  wilt  not  do, 
even  that  shalt  thy  character,  nature  and  qual- 
ities compel  thee  to  do — from  Duty  there  is  no 
escape — helpless  art  thou  within  the  net.  Be- 
ing bound  to  thy  Dharma,  or  Duty,  by  thy 
Karma,  or  the  Law  of  Cause  and  Effect,  com- 
ing to  thee  from  thy  past  lives,  and  the  es- 
sence of  which  is  thy  nature  and  character, 
with  its  qualities  and  tendencies — even  so  art 
thou  free  only  in  one  direction,  and  that  is  the 
direction  of  thy  Natural  Duty,  even  that  which 
thou  seekst  in  thy  ignorance  to  avoid. 

"Knoweth  thou,  Arjuna,  that  within  the 
heart  of  every  being  there  dwelleth  Ishwara — 
the  Master — who  causeth  all  things  to  revolve 
upon  the  wheels  of  Time.  He  is  the  Potter, 
upon  whose  wheel  these  forms  and  shapes  re- 
volve, feeling  the  touch  of  his  finger  as  he 
moulds  them  into  shape.  Take  refuge  in  Him, 
and   Him  alone,   O  Arjuna,   upon  each  and 


180  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

every  occasion  of  thy  life;  in  all  thine  actions 
and  undertakings — for  in  him  alone  shalt  thou 
find  Peace  and  Happiness,  and  a  Safe  Abode, 
which  endureth  forever  and  forever.  And  in 
this  teaching  of  the  truth,  have  I  made  known 
to  thee  a  knowledge  which  is  a  mystery  of 
Mystery — a  secret"  of  Secrets — a  truth  of 
Truths.  Ponder  well  upon  it,  O  Prince,  and 
when  thou  fully  understandst  it,  then  act  as 
seemeth  best  unto  thee,  in  the  light  of  thy  il- 
luminated understanding. 

"And  now,  O  Prince  of  Pandu — Arjuna 
my  Well-Beloved  Student — listen  unto  my 
further  and  supremely  mysterious  teachings, 
which  now  I  shalt  reveal  unto  thee,  for  thy 
good,  and  because  of  my  love  for  thee.  Give 
unto  Me  thy  heart,  and  mind  and  soul,  and 
understanding,  and  thought,  and  interest  and 
attention,  O  Arjuna,  My  Beloved.  Place  them 
all  upon  Me,  who  hath  declared  My  true  be- 
ing unto  thee.  Serve  Me  alone ;  worship  only 
Me ;  bow  down  to  Me  alone ;  and  I  pledge  thee 
that  thou  shalt  surely  come  to  Me,  thou  who 
art  my  loved  one. 

"Forsaking  every  other  teaching,  philoso- 
phy,   science,   or    religion,   fly   to   Me   alone. 


RENUNCIATION   AND   FREEDOM  181 

Grieve  and  distress  thyself  no  longer,  O  Ar- 
juna,  for  I  shall  surely  deliver  thee  from  all 
thy  sins,  transgressions  and  short-comings. 

"And,  now  a  final  word  of  caution  to  thee, 
Arjuna — hearken  thou,  and  those  who  come 
after  thee,  to  it,  and  govern  ourselves  accord- 
ingly. Know  thou  that  this  my  teachings  is 
not  to  be  revealed  to  any  who  hath  not  sub- 
dued their  bodies  by  devotion,  or  who  are  not 
my  servants ;  nor  to  those  who  are  not  willing 
and  desirous  to  acquire  the  wisdom-teaching; 
nor  to  those  who  despise  Me. 

"They  who  shalt  teach  this  divine  wisdom 
— this  supreme  mystery — to  those  who  are  my 
servants ;  and  who  practicing  true  devotion  to 
Me,  doth  instruct  them  in  My  service;  they 
shalt  truly  come  unto  Me.  And,  heed  by 
words,  Arjuna,  there  shall  not  be  any  among 
mankind  who  doth  Me  a  greater  kindness  than 
this  teaching  and  spreading  of  the  Truth — nor 
shall  there  be  any  more  dear  to  me  than  these. 

"And,  among  those  who  shall  come  after 
thee,  in  all  the  long  ages  until  the  Night  of 
•Brahm  shall  have  swept  away  all  forms — if 
there  be  any  among  them  who  shall  read,  and 
hear,  and  study  these  teachings  which  I  this 


182  THE   BHAGAVAD   GITA 

day  made  known  unto  thee,  as  well  as  the 
words  then  hast  said  unto  me  and  to  which  I 
made  reply — such  shall  do  well,  for  verily  shall 
I  consider  that  by  thus  doing  they  have  wor- 
shipped me,  and  such  worship  will  I  accept  as 
a  sacrifice.  And  the  devotion  of  their  minds 
shall  rise  unto  Me.    This  is  my  promise. 

"And  even  the  man  who  shall  listen  to 
these  teachings,  in  faith,  and  without  reviling, 
shall  also  have  his  feet  directed  toward  The 
Path  which  leadeth  toward  Happiness,  and 
Peace,  and  during  his  periods  of  rest  shall  he 
be  accorded  admission  to  the  regions  wherein 
dwell  those  who  have  performed  Right  Action 
and  Good  Deeds. 

"Hast  thou  heard  and  memorized  these 
words  which  I  have  spoken  unto  thee,  Arjunaf 
Hast  thou  listened  with  mind  one-pointed  and 
fixed  upon  Me?  What  hath  become  of  the 
confusion  and  distraction  of  thought,  which 
arose  from  thy  ignorance  and  illusion,  O 
Prince?" 

Arjuna:  "By  Thy  Divine  Power,  O  Im- 
mutable One,  my  Blessed  Lord  and  Master, 
my  mind  hath  been  cleared  of  its  confusion, 
and  I  see  now  with  clear  understanding,  and 


RENUNCIATION    AND   FREEDOM  183 

by  the  Light  of  the  Spirit.  I  now  stand  firmly 
fixed  upon  principles,  and  my  doubts  have 
vanished  into  air.  From  this  time  on,  shall  I 
act  according  to  the  Light  of  Thy  Teachings. 
In  the  Radiance  of  Thy  Wisdom,  so  will  I 
Act!" 

And  then  in  conclusion  spake  Sanjaya,  to 
Dhritarashtra,  the  blind  Kuril  king,  to  whom 
he  had  related  this  wondrous  story  of  the 
dialogue,  between  Arjuna,  the  Prince  of  the 
Pandus,  and  Krishna,  the  Blessed  Lord,  and 
visible  manifestation  in  personal  form  of  the 
Absolute  Spirit,  saying: 

"And  now  thou  hast  heard,  O  Dhritarash- 
tra, of  the  wondrous  words  which  I,  even  I 
myself,  overheard  in  this  conversation  be- 
tween Krishna  and  Arjuna.  By  the  favor  of 
some  high  being  was  I  enabled  to  hear  and 
remember  this  mystic  and  wondrous  doctrine 
and  teaching,  as  it  fell  from  the  lips  of 
Krishna  himself.  Remembering,  again  and 
again,  this  holy  conversation,  am  I  filled  with 
great  joy  and  happiness.  And  when  I  recall 
the  mysterious  form  of  Krishna,  My  Lord, 
then  am  I  still  more  astonished,  and  still  more 
rejoiced.     Wherever  these  words  of  Krishna, 


184  THE   BHAGAVAD   GIT  A 

the  Lord,  and  Arjuna,  the  Prince,  may  chance 
to  be  seen,  and  read,  and  known — then  even 
there  too  must  come  Prosperity,  Attainment, 
and  Happiness — yea  Blessing  and  Peace.  Of 
this  I  have  no  doubt — this  is  my  belief." 

THUS  ENDETH  PART  XVIII  OF  THE  BHAGAVAD 
GITA,  WHICH  IS  CALLED  "RENUNCIATION  AND 
FREEDOM." 

AND  THUS  COMETH  TO  AN  END  THE  BHAGA- 
VAD GITA,  OR  THE  MESSAGE  OF  THE  MASTER, 
WHICH,  WHEN  TRULY  UNDERSTOOD,  WILL 
BRING  TO  ALL  WHO  READ  IT,  OR  WHO  HEAR  IT, 
PEACE  AND  THE  INNER  WISDOM. 

PEACE  BE  WITH  YOU  ALL! 


"AUM 


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